


A Wandering Soul.

by Elena_Parker



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Angst and Tragedy, Death/Shinigami is a jerk, F/M, Fem!Harry, Luna is awesome!, Master of Death!Harry, Minato is lovesick, Naruto- the next Marauder (No thanks to fem!Harry), Not a crack fic, Orochimaru is a snake as usual, danzo is a bastard, fem!Harry still hates rats and snakes even though she is reincarnated (Or something like that), kushina's soul is swapped with fem!Harry's, lots and lots of swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 20:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8681674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elena_Parker/pseuds/Elena_Parker
Summary: Me? Kushina? What kind of sick joke is that! Isn't my name supposed to be Lillian Potter, not Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze? AU/ MOD! Harry/Fem!Harry: in which Death decided to swap the soul of his dying Mistress with Kushina's, which broke the Universe. Not a crack fic.





	1. A Mother's Love

**Author's Note:**

> SUMMARY: Me? Kushina? What kind of sick joke is that?! Isn't my name supposed to be Lillian Potter, not Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze? AU/ MOD! Harry/Fem!Harry: in which Death decided to swap the soul of his dying Mistress with Kushina's, which broke the Universe. Not a crack fic.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I wished I could own Harry Potter and Naruto, but sadly I don't.
> 
> WARNING: Language, plot holes, character deaths.

**A/n: It is not a Crack fic. This one is full of angst and Tragedy, so read it at your own cost. I had started this story to get rid of my pissed mood, and was surprised when the plot actually made sense. Er, kinda….. So, anyways, if you still wanna read this, then go on ahead.............**

* * *

She was dying. She didn't want to, at least not so soon anyways. She had wanted to marry a decent guy and have many children, who'd live happily like the Weasley family, but she never even got the chance. Not only was she dying, but she was leaving behind poor Teddy to face the world alone –what with Andromeda dead some time ago due to some illness. At least, Hermione and Ron would look after him. She was sure of that. He'd be depressed for some time, but he'd move on after that. Maybe. _Possibly_.

She could feel her body go numb, and her heart slowing down. Still, she fought against her own body to keep her eyes open, and stare at her Godson, who was crying silently and begging her to stay with him. Isn't that what she had done for the last five years? Struggled to stay alive for her Godson, even though she should've died five years ago. During her fight at the Battle of Hogwarts, some stupid death eater hit her with some sort of curse that affected her immunity system that led to her deteriorating health condition. The healers at St. Mungous had declared that she won't even survive for a whole year, but surprisingly, she had been alive for five years now, though to be truthful that was all because Death had extended her time, what with being his Mistress and all.

But even if Death had extended her time for living, her survival had been agonizingly painful. Every breath felt like a thousand ton pressure over her lungs, and every movement of her body made her want to whimper in pain. It was a miracle that she got to live this long now.

But not anymore. Enough was enough. She was at her limit. She can't deal with more pain. She was broken beyond repair, and the pain did nothing to soothe her agony. She just wanted for this pain to stop.

So, giving her all at a final attempt to smile at her godson, she closed her heavy eyelids and finally succumbed to sleep.

_Maybe now she will get to meet her parents, Sirius and Remus in her afterlife._

* * *

"-Shina."

"Kushina"

"KUSHINA!"

What the-? Startled, she opened her eyes, and found herself drowning in _deepdeepdeepdeepdeep_ blue orbs of a man who had blonde, spiky hair, and was looking at her with sadness, love and pain. He wore weird clothes- what with a dark blue full shirt and pants over there were a green vest. He wore a white coat above all that stuff. She did not recognise the man, and her brain scurried to put a name over the blonde.

_Minato_. It answered. _Minato Namikaze_. Her husband.

_Husband?!_ She choked up and spat out blood from her mouth. She felt so weak and exhausted, and so much in _painpainpainpain_ –and what the hell is that thing running beneath her skin? It feels odd, but warm, and familiar.

_Chakra_ \- her mind supplied.

What the fuck is going on? She opened and closed her mouth, but no words seemed to come to her. She glanced down on the ground, and found a little bundle of cloth lying on the ground. It looked up with it's _bluebluedeepblue_ eyes at her, and she immediately melted. The little tuft of blonde hair that seemed to peek out of his head made him look much cuter. It was so cute, and _so_ small. It was a baby. What was it doing out here?

Where was here anyways?

And whose baby is this?!

_Hers._ Her mind whispered. _Hers and Minato's._

She almost had a heart attack. W-W-What? H-How? _Husband? Son?_ By merlin's sake, would anyone tell her what the hell is going on?!

A tug at her back startled her, and she moved her head a bit to glance back, and then she officially lost it. There were thick chains of adamantine metal protruding from her back – _chains people, chains!_ \- and dug deeper into the ground. They came out from the ground some ways back, and held tightly to a _hugehugehugehuge_ – _Merlin, is that thing even real?_ \- fox, that had not one but nine tails! The fox was growling in anger and snarling against the chains.

That's it. She had officially lost it. _What the fuck Is going on?_

The blonde man's hands were stuck in a weird hand sign, and he was saying something in a language that wasn't English, but seemed much like Chinese or Japanese. Surprisingly, she actually understood what he was saying. "Kushina," _Who the fuck is Kushina?_ **_It's you_** \- her mind supplied, not so helpfully. _Me? Kushina? What kind of sick joke is that?! Isn't my name supposed to be Lillian Potter, not Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze?_ "Let's believe in him. After all, this child is our son." Not mine, I don't even know his name. _Naruto_ \- her mind whispered again. _Shut up, Mind_. She screamed at it. "After I completed this seal, I will seal your chakra inside of Naruto too. You won't have much time, but I want you to help him try to control the nine tails power as a Jinchurriki." _What's a Jinchurriki anyways?_ **_A container for a tailed beast_.** _Didn't I tell you to shut up, Mind?_

She went back through what he said, and froze up. What the fuck-? What kind of father seals a Monster inside his son? Is he out of his mind?! How can someone do that to their own son?

"But he's your son, Minato!" She argued back, and was startled to know that her voice came out fluently in Japanese, not in english. She filed it up for later consideration as she tried to make him see her point "Which is exactly why I don't want him to bear such a heavy burden!" She looked up to meet his eyes, but was taken aback by the white spirit hanging behind the man, who was supposed to be her husband. The Spirit glanced at her with emotionless red eyes, and a soul – _Minato's soul_ \- was in it's clutches. He held a dagger in his mouth, a beaded necklace in one hand and satchel in another. He looked different than the last time she met him, but she knew he was the same Spirit who had given her the title of his Mistress. _It was Death._

Now some things were making sense to her. Somehow, all this shit is Death's fault, and now this young man had given up his soul in exchange to seal the nine tailed beast inside his son. What a gruesome deal! It was immoral and horrible!

_How could death even agree with this?!_

She couldn't understand how a man like Minato could be so cruel as to seal a beast inside his son, and putting his life on line. It doesn't look like Kushina – _the real one, who is supposed to be this man's wife and this child's mother_ \- would be alive to be with Naruto during his life, and now here was this child's father who wanted to give up his life to the Death Spirit in exchange of sealing the nine tailed beast, leaving the child an orphan. Did this man even know how much suffering and hardship he's going to put his son into? Does he have any idea how his decision on sealing the demon inside Naruto would affect on his future life? Was he so naive to believe that everything will be rainbows and unicorns after this shit dies down?!

On one hand there were her parents who gave up their lives to protect her from a Maniac Murderer who was hell bent on killing her, and here was this foolish man who was ready to give up his life to seal the demon inside his son and doom him to an eternity of pain and loneliness. It'd be like a repeat of the Life of Lillian Potter, but the only change would be that it'd be his own parents who would doom him to such a harsh life, instead of them sacrificing themselves to protect her from the creature.

She'd be damned if she let another person ruin a child's life and let him face things like she had in her miserable life, and die for the very people who scorned him. What the heck did everyone think? That they can scorn us all they want and then still expect us to help them out and sacrifice ourselves for them? Why Us? Why is it always people like her and Naruto to sacrifice everything they have – _even their lives_ \- to protect a bunch of idiots who never did anything except hated them their whole lives? Why should they martyr themselves for the sake of the world? Why can't they have parents, family, friends –people who support them, and not scorn them? Is it really too much too ask? Is it?

If it is, then yes, she is a selfish person down to the core, and she's not gonna let another child be orphaned for the sake of the world. _Not now, at least not on her watch._

"And tell me," She said as she clenched her fist, trying to make him see her point and stop him before he does something ridiculously stupid – _oh, I don't know, like sealing a demon inside his son in exchange for his soul?_ \- and leave his son orphaned "Why sell your soul to the Death God? There's no need for you to die. I'd rather you stay with him and watch over him. I just-" She paused and took a deep breath and continued "I just don't understand why it has to be this way?! Why does Naruto have to be sacrificed for the balance of power among tailed beasts, for his nation, for his village? Why do you have to sacrifice yourself at all just for me?!" She looked at him with pleading eyes and choked up with a sob, with blood dripping down her mouth "Please!"

"To forsake one's nation and one's village is exactly the same as forsaking one's own child." His sharp worlds cut through her, making her feel cold inside. Naruto's father was very patriotic, so much that he was willing to sacrifice his son's childhood for the village. _Really Naruto_ , She thought, _Your father is such a bastard. I hope you give him a good punch one day to knock him to senses_. Minato, oblivious to her inner ramblings, continued "Your very own homeland was destroyed, so you should know that. A harsh life awaits those without a land to call their home. Besides our family is shinobi." _Wait what? Shinobi? As in Ninjas? As in black clothes, and assassins at night kinds Ninjas? Seriously?_ "Finally, even if I were to live, I could never be a substitute for you."

Her eyes widened, and her breathing hitched. He looked at her with so much passion and love and pain and sadness that it _hurtshurtshurtshurts_ goddammit it hurts! She stared with wide eyes as Minato crouched down and looked at her in the eyes and said "You won't have much time with him, but there's something only you can tell Naruto, something that I just can't. That's a Mother's will. I'm not doing this just for you. I'm doing this for Naruto."

He crouched down next to Naruto and took him in his arms and said "I'd die for my son. It's my duty, as his father."

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi, tried to help Minato and Kushina out, but the stupid barrier that Kushina had set up with her Uzumaki chains were preventing him from entering the clearing. He had seen Minato using the hand signs for Death Reaper Seal, and was afraid that if Minato uses that seal on the nine tails, he would surely die. And he didn't want him to die so soon. He was so young, and had a whole life in front of him. What is he thinking?

Hiruzen smacked the barrier with the staff in his hand, which was actually the Monkey King Enma transforming as a staff, but the barrier won't budge.

Two Ninjas finally caught up to him and asked "Lord third, what's wrong?"

He punched the barrier again, but it's of no use. He clenched his fist and gritted out "It's no good. We can't get in any closer. This barrier is preventing the nine tails from escaping. Seems like the two of them are planning to take care of the nine tails all by themselves!"

He knew it was impossible, but still, he really wanted Minato and Kushina to stay alive. _Please_ , He prayed to the almighty beings as he glanced up at the sky and thought _Please spare their lives._

* * *

Tears streamed down her eyes and uncontrollable sobs shook her body. It was all too much – _the pain, the conviction, the love_ ….. It was all so similar to the Halloween night when she lost her parents, yet so different. Sure, the circumstances, and the people were different, but some things were still the same. It will be the love this child's parents' has for him that is going to keep him alive this night. The power love holds over everything was so astounding that made her speechless. His words reminded her of so much her own mother Lily Potter, who gave up her life for her, and protected her even in death. Is that how her mother had felt before she sacrificed herself for her daughter's sake? Is this how much a parent loves it's child?

She shut her eyes and screamed in agony. It was too much, just too much for her. She felt like an intruder. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in her afterlife, joking her with her Godfather Sirius and Remus, and swapping stories with her parents, and meeting her dead friends and teachers, not becoming a part of something where she didn't even belong! She never wanted to be a part of all this shit, and now look, here she was in place where the real Kushina should've been, fighting tooth and nail for a child's happiness, when in actuality she is the one who took away his true happiness- his mother.

_Life is such a bitch._

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. She never wanted to be here! Why was her soul transferred into this body, when she was clearly supposed to be dead? It wasn't her fault, to be honest. She didn't want to live anymore, so why was she given a second chance when the one who clearly deserved it was possibly dead by now.

And none of this is her fault.

She opened her eyes, and narrowed it at the Death God hovering behind Minato _"You Bastard!"_ she hissed in English, which felt weird on her tongue, but was _sososo_ familiar and came out in accent. _"What did you do to me?!"_ She asked in cold fury.

Minato was startled by the sudden ferocity at which she glared at something behind him – _which he had no doubt must be the Shinigami_ \- and the fact that she was speaking in another language made his hackles rise in fear. He didn't know Kushina knew another language, and even if she did why didn't she tell him before? Somehow he had a feeling that something much deeper was going on in here, something that was beyond his mortal understanding.

_"You were dying,"_ The Death god replied, surprisingly in English, " _I had no choice but to swap your soul with Kushina's. You are my Master. You aren't supposed to die so soon."_

_"You had no right!"_ she snarled furiously, _"Do you know what you have done? You have snatched away a woman's chance to exchange last words with her husband and her son. How can you be so cruel?"_

_"What's done is done. I do not repent my actions."_ The Death God said coldly.

She clenched her fists and tried to stop herself from lashing out on the oblivious Death God. _"But I do. As your Mistress, I have to make up for your mistakes."_

Death immediately understood what she was implying _. "You can't."_ He said sharply. _"You can't change the Fate that awaits this child. I already had too much trouble to bargain your life with the Fate, you can't possibly change the future and jeopardize everything."_

_"I can and I will."_ She said with a determined look in her eyes.

_"Don't."_ The Death God hissed at her in anger. Finally, some expression other than that cold, emotionless mask of his!

_"Too late, you should've wondered about it earlier before deciding on swapping my soul with Kushina's."_ She shot back at him as she glanced down at the baby sleeping in Minato's arms, and her expression softened. She ignored Minato's bewildered look as she kissed the baby's tiny forehead and whispered to him in Japanese "I promise Naruto, I won't let you duffer like I had, all my life. I know what it feels like to be scorned by everyone, and to have the weight of the World on your shoulders. I know how much it hurts when you have no one to look after you- no parents, no family, no friends, and when everyone seems to hate your guts." She smiled weakly and said "Your father is naïve, Naruto, but he is a good father and loves you deeply. And Your m-mother," she took a deep breath, knowing that it is all her fault that Naruto lost his mother because of her "I hope," she paused and then shook her head, "No, I know your mother loved you more than anything else in this world. She will protect you from everything even after her death."

Minato's eyes widened and he asked "Kushina, why are you-"

He was interrupted by her as she continued on "I hope you don't lose both of your parents tonight, and end up with a bunch of relatives who do nothing but bully you around. I hope you get to know the truth about your parent's death for the first eleven years of your life. I hope you get to be told how wonderful your parents are, and how lucky you are to have them. I hope you stay safe from Mass murderer's whose only goal in their lives is to defeat you, of and please stay safe from traitors like Rats and murderers like Snakes. Oh, and if you have a Godfather, then be grateful to have him in your life, and be careful to not loose him for your stupidity." Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she willed them to not come out, "I hope you make friends, a lot of friends. Friends who'd be always there for you, friends that can be Brave like a Lion, Loyal like a Badger, Clever like an eagle or Cunning like a Snake. Friends who's stay with you through thick and thin, and won't leave you alone even if you're breaking into a bank or lead a war against a bunch of masked Minions of a certain dark lord." She chuckled weakly as she kissed the sleeping boy's cheeks, and lastly said "Naruto, never give up and always strive to protect your precious people. Never let them down, Naruto."

Minato didn't understand half of the things she said, it was like Kushina was speaking about some other life, and none of it made sense. But he could understand this much that her words had a deeper meaning that she let on. Why was an unsettling feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. Why were his bones getting cold to the core? Why does it feel like Goodbye?

"Kushina, why-? Wha-?" He shook his head and asked "What are you thinking?"

Kushina looked up, but didn't glance at his eyes. Instead she stared down behind him, straight into the eyes of the Death God.

_"Release him."_ She said to the Death God as she gestured towards Minato.

The Death Spirit protested. _"You know that I can't-"_

_"I. said. Release. him!"_ She snarled at the Death God, who pursued his lips, but did as he was told. He pulled out the dagger from his mouth released Minato's soul from his hold. Minato felt that the coldness and the empty that he had felt in his soul was gone, and he glanced backwards to see that the Shinigami had released his soul, and was now levitating away from him.

"Give him to me." She muttered as she took Naruto from Minato's hold, startling the man as he glanced back to her, and gaped in horror as he realized that the Death God has now shifted behind her, hovering above her.

"No! Kushina, what did you do?!" Minato asked in a desperate tone as he watched the Shinigami hovering behind her.

"I did the right thing," she answered in his native tongue as she looked back at him. She sighed and said "Get away from here before it get's messier."

"No I can't possibly-" He argued with her, but she pinned him with a sharp look and said-

"I said Go away! You will only get in the way! And don't try to stop me! I know what I'm doing!" She snarled at him.

Minato felt his world shattering. Kushina had somehow appeased the death God to release his soul, in short giving him a chance to live, but he had a bad feeling about this. Kushina won't survive this, her body was already shutting down which was quite visible from her labored breathing and the extensive wounds on her body, not to forget the fact that she had been in labor about only hours ago. Not only would Kushina die, but his son would also be made into jinchurriki, and he'd have to live a life without his mother. Minato can't possibly think about a life without Kushina. It was pure agony to him.

"Please Kushina," he begged her as he realized that he was helpless now, "Don't do this. Please!" he choked out, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

She shook her head and said "Oh Minato, I have to do this." She knew the nine tails was quite a huge monster, and even for a Runes Master and a Mistress of Death like her, it'd be difficult for her to seal all of the nine tails inside Naruto. She can't seal the other half inside herself, because she is the Mistress of Death, and even if this wasn't her body, her soul still remained in this body, and hence she can't risk the fragile threads of magic and jeopardize the Nature and various Universes by sealing the nine tailed beast inside her. The only option left is Minato, which she didn't want to consider, but it's not life she had any choice. Besides, wasn't he too willing to seal half of the nine tails inside him in exchange to his soul just a minute ago?

She grimaced and explained to him, "I am going to seal half of nine tails inside of you, and the other half inside Naruto."

"No, you don't have enough Chakra!" Minato argued, " You will die during the process." He wiped his tear filled eyes and pleaded "Please, let me do it. Let me seal him."

She was fed up of his bitching. She had heard enough. Wasn't he a minute ago all too willing to die for sealing the nine tails, and hear, hear now he expects her to stop and let him carry on with that stupid plan of his. As if. "Stop whining! You are a man! Start acting like one!" She snapped at him. "Besides, I don't mind you know. I was already living on borrowed time."

She chuckled weakly as she turned away from him, and stared straight into the eyes of the nine tails, with a baby in her arms, a a Death god hovering behind her.

_"Death,"_ She ordered him, _"Seal half of the nine tails inside Minato. I will seal the other half inside Naruto."_

_"Yes Mistress."_ The Death Spirit bowed down it's head, and set onto work.

* * *

As soon as Kurama's eyes met with her, he knew it wasn't his previous jailer Kushina Uzumaki. The green in those Violet eyes was unmistakable. It was something more powerful than him, a being much more powerful than even the Shinigami. It was the Shinigami's Mistress. This was something he had only heard in Legends, and hence he had never belived them. But it was true. Shinigami had a Master. And she looked pissed.

_Oh boy._

He watched carefully as the Shinigami hovered towards the Fourth Hokage- _Minato Namikaze_ \- and stretched it's hand holding the dagger pulled out half of his chakra and sealed it inside the Fourth hokage, who stumbled a bit at the sudden bit of forceful sealing. He trembled as the Shinigami's cool fingers ghosted over his now exposed stomach – _the cloth around his stomach got ripped off as soon as the Shinigami forced the half of nine tails inside him_ \- and Kurama watched, stunned, as the Shinigami marked a sign over his stomach. On the outermost was a triangle bisected into two by a straight line. Inside the triangle was a circle, just barely touching it on the three sides. He shivered as he remembered it from the Legends. It was the Shinigami's mark –also known as the mark of the 'Deathly hallows.'

_My body is_ _going numb._ Minato realised as his body trembled when the seal was completed. _I can't believe how heavy his chakra is!_ He gasped and tried his best to stay awake as he knelt down on the ground, and stared up at Kushina, who bit her thumb and now was writing something over Naruto's body with her blood. It looked like a seal, but he couldn't make out the language in which she was writing the seal. It wasn't the Uzumaki fuinjutsu he was familiar with, in fact, it looked a whole lot different than Uzumaki sealing Arts.

_'She's planning to seal me up again._ ' Kurama realized as he watched her tap her fingers onto the ground, and an altar rose up from the ground. She placed the baby on it.

He watched, mesmerized as she drew Ancient Blood Runes – _the Art of Seaing that was now fairly lost in the Elemental Countries_ \- over the baby's body, and he came to the conclusion that the Shinigami's Mistress was planning on sealing him inside the baby. ' _In that baby!_ ' He thought with a scowl. He did not want to spend another few years in a jail, after only escaping for some hours. He had so much to do – _like destroying various villages, and stamping on these pathetic humans, and the list goes on and on_ \- he did not want to spend more of his years in a jail sealed away in a human.

Maybe if he kills the baby, then he can escape the hell out of here before the Shinigami's Mistress captures him or something?

With that thought in mind, Kurama –the nine tailed fox- snarled and attacked the baby. "there you are!"

Minato watched in horror as the moment Kushina coughed up blood and stepped backwards from Naruto a bit as her body trembled, the nine tailed fox attacked the baby Naruto. "No!" He screamed as he tried to rush as fast as he could towards his son, but the sealing was too heavy for him, and his body did not cooperate with him. He could only watch in horror as the claw came nearer to Naruto.

And nearer.

And nearer.

_"Protego!"_

A silver shield shimmered around Naruto, halting the advances of the nine tailed beast. The best roared out in anger and frustration as he watched the Shinigami's Mistress standing fiercely in front of the baby, her hands held out and the silvery shimmering shield wisping out from her hands. She stumbled a bit, but kept the shield up as she stepped towards Naruto, and then she lifted the shield up for a second. Before Kurama could try again to attack the baby, he was hit by a red light, followed by the cry of _"Stupify!"_ as his body went numb and he stood stunned.

* * *

She heaved as she crawled back towards Naruto. Kushina's body was shutting down, hence she didn't have much time to seal the beast. She knew that she was placing a huge responsibility on Naruto's shoulders, but it's not like she had any choice. She was doing her best to not let him suffer as much as she had since her childhood, and she knew she wasn't doing a very good job at it. But, at least Naruto will have his father by his side when he will face his hardships, and won't have to endure abuse of his relatives like she had in her past.

But still, she felt guilty that she was sealing a monster inside a newborn baby who didn't get any choice. He was forever going to suffer for her actions, and she wished things could've been different.

"I'm sorry Naruto." She apologized to the boy for burdening him with such a huge responsibility at a young age. "I hope you have it in your heart to forgive me." She said, and then with a shaky breath, she tapped her hand over the baby's stomach, making him wake up from his sleep and wail out loudly. She said-

_"Ancient Runic Art- Death Binding Rune!"_

The blood Runes covering the child's body retracted and formed the mark of deathly hallows, as various golden chains darted out from the Runes, and tied themselves tightly around the nine tailed fox and tugged him towards the baby. She stumbled as the Runes licked up her magic greedily, making her feeling dizzy. The nine tailed fox snarled, hissed, roared, and struggled against the chains, but the chains were too powerful for him, and soon, he was sealed inside the baby.

* * *

In the end, Minato found his son wailing on the altar, and his wife lying on the ground next to him, and wasn't breathing , with no signs of the nine tailed fox anywhere. The Uzumaki chains disappeared, and the barrier dissipated, and soon the Third Hokage – _Hiruzen Sarutobi_ \- rushed forward with a bunch of Ninjas.

Minato staggered towards his family, one of which wasn't breathing and the other was screaming out his lungs. He took in the mark on his son's stomach, which was a triangle cut into two by a straight line, and a circle in the middle. He dropped down next to his wife, Kushina, who wasn't breathing.

"Kushina?" he whispered, fearing the worst. And he wasn't wrong. Kushina did not respond to him.

He placed his hand over the upper left side of her chest where her heart usually beat in a melodic rhythm, only to find that it was slowing down.

"I said I was his father," He said with a sob, with tears streaming down his eyes, "Protecting him was my duty."

She tried her best to open her _heavyheavyGoddammitit'ssoheavy_ eyelids and glanced up at the blurry figure of Minato Namukaze. Yes, she was dying – _again_ \- and the pain coursing through her veins made her want to scream at the top of her lungs. But there was peace settling in her heart, knowing that she saved a child. A child who was the son of the woman in whose body her soul resides now. She never got the chance to marry in her life and have kids due to her illness, but it felt so warm and fuzzy to be held by a man who loved her – _even though it wasn't her he was in love with, he loved the woman whose soul was swapped with hers_ \- and having a child whom she loved with all her heart – _which she really does, even though she isn't exactly his mother._

Words tumbled down from her mouth, before she could even think what she was saying "Yes, but I am his mother," She said "It's mine too." Saying this, she let her eyelids droop down, and this time she was sure that she'd get to meet her family in the afterlife, and maybe Kushina –the woman who gave birth to this beautiful baby.

Minato stared in horror as Kushina closed her eyes. "No, please don't!" He gasped out, but too late, she had already closed her eyes and had stopped breathing. Something shattered inside him, as a scream rang out in the clearing, too late he realized that it came from him, along with the wailing of his son.

"KUSHINA!"

* * *

And this is how the story is repeated again, when a Mother's love again defied death and saved her child from being killed. The power of a Mother's love once again saved an innocent child from it's doom, and defeated even the ancient Magic of Death.

_And this is just the beginning._

* * *

**A/n: So, I've decided to do #ReviewQuestions, because I've seen so many authors do it on Fanfiction and it looked so much more interesting. It won't hurt answering silly questions, would it? Let's start simple-**

**#ReviewQuestion- Which Naruto character do you like the most and why?**

**I like Minato the most –for obvious reasons. He's cute, kind, slightly goofy and would do anything to protect his precious people. Naruto is okay too, although I think his personality is a little bit too much eccentric for me**

 


	2. A Chance For A Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heart-wrenching heart-to-heart conversation between two redheads, after which Lillian wakes up once again in Kushina's body and meets someone who reminds her of her former teacher- Professor Mcgonagall.

She felt so light and free as soon as she regained consciousness. Her eyes opened to bright light, making her wince at the extreme brightness. She rubbed her eyes as she got up in a sitting position, and blinked as she looked around.

She knew she had been here before. This place resembled King's Cross station, only cleaner and without older trains. And it was _bright_. Yeah, a lot brighter than what her sensitive eyes are supposed to adjust to.

She remembered it as clear as day the last time she had been here, and met Dumbledore – _of all the people_ \- here. It had been when she had died by Voldemort's hand. _Strange how History repeats itself_ , only this time she had died on her terms.

But this isn't real, right? She remembered Dumbledore agreeing to the fact that it wasn't real, that it was all inside in her head.

_But he also said that it doesn't mean it's not real._

Sighing, she shook her head and got up, and dusted off invisible dirt from her dress.

"Go back, my dear Little Lillian," She froze when she heard that voice. She had heard that voice just once in her life, and that was before she had died by Voldemort's hands. She could feel blood pounding in her ears, and her body trembling as she gathered as much courage as she could and lifted her eyes up, and almost sobbed with joy when her eyes fell on a red haired woman, with emerald green eyes similar to hers.

"Mom!" She cried with happiness as she took a step forward, but halted when the other woman took a step back and said warningly-

"Please Stop. Don't come any closer." Her mother said, her voice laced with sadness and regret. Her face showed how heartbroken she was for even speaking those wretched words, but it didn't soothed the pain and feeling of rejection that coiled in her stomach.

"M-Mom?" Her voice wavered, full of hurt and rejection. Why did her mother stop her? Why doesn't she want her to come closer to her, to hug her, to cry in her arms? Why? Was she disgusted with her? _Did Lillian do something that made her own mother ashamed of her?_

"My Little Lily Flower," Her heart sped up as she turned as she saw her father standing some distance away from her, "You need to go back" James Potter said as he adjusted his round glasses.

"And," She cleared her throat, though the pain in her voice was unmistakable "what if I don't?"

"You have to." Another voice rang around from behind her, and she turned with tears welling in her eyes as her eyes fell on the figure of her Godfather Sirius Black.

"Why? Why can't I join you guys?" she asked, desperation laced in her voice "Are you ashamed of me? Did I do something bad? If I did, then I'm so sorry. Please-" She let out a sob, "-Please don't leave me."

"Never." Came a voice, and she turned to her right to see Remus standing there. "We'll always be with you, in here." He pointed at the left side of her chest, where her heart was located.

"Then why are you all trying to send me away?" She asked as she let her head fall in her hands.

"Because you need to go back. There're some things you need to do before joining us." Her father explained.

"What if I don't want to do it?" She asked as she let tears roll down her cheeks. "Do I even get a choice?"

They were all silent for a while. Finally, her Mother- _Lily Potter_ \- answered, her voice filled with regret "No you don't."

"Why me?" She asked as she let out a sob. "Why not anyone else?"

"Because we believe in you." An unfamiliar voice rang out, and she turned and saw a red haired woman walking towards her. The woman was beautiful, she had hip-length blood red hair unlike her short flaming hair, and her deep violet eyes sparkled. She had an oval face and her pale skin looked as soft as freshly falling snow.

This woman may be a stranger to her, but something about her was familiar. It was like, she _knew_ this woman, but in reality she didn't.

Her throat clogged up, and she choked out a name that was on her lips "Kushina?"

The woman's lips quirked upwards as she joked "the one and only."

More tears spilled down her cheeks as she finally broke down. Her legs buckled down under her, and she found herself kneeling down on the floor. "I'm so sorry!" she cried out to the red haired woman, who was startled at her sudden breakdown. "I'm really very sorry, Kushina! I'm so sorry that I took away your chance to say Goodbye to your husband and son. It's my entire fault! It's my entire fault that you couldn't spend much time with your son! It's my entire fault that you didn't even get to spend your last moments with your family. I'm so, so sorry!"

_"Ssh,"_ Kushina quickly wrapped her arms around the woman and rubbed soothing circles around her back. "None of it is your fault. I wouldn't have been able to stay alive for much time anyways after the extraction of nine tails from my body. I was already dying. How is it your fault that I died?" She asked her as she patted her back.

Lillian glanced up straight into Kushina's deep violet eyes and said "Don't tell me that you're not furious that I snatched away the last precious moments of your life, because I know that's _Bullshit_! There's no way you can't be angry at me for even taking away your chance to say Goodbye to your family! You can't expect me to believe this shit that you aren't even a little bit angry at me-"

"I was angry at you at first," Kushina admitted finally, making Lillian bit her lip as she let Kushina speak. "I was angry that I couldn't spare a last glance at my beautiful son, that I never got the time to even smother him with my love. I was angry because I'd never be able to tell Minato that I love him _so_ much. I was angry because I would miss Naruto's first words, his first steps, his first birthday, his first friend, his first crush, his first kiss, and so _so_ much. I wanted to strangle you for taking away my last chances to say Goodbye." Then she smiled that pretty smile of hers, and gestured towards her Mother – _Lily_ -and said "But then your mother explained to me what you've gone through, and I couldn't help but feel bad for even thinking of being angry at you. I at least got a chance to have a family, but what about you? You never even got that chance." Her violet eyes shone with sadness and pain, and she said "You struggled to stay alive for the sake of your loved ones, and never even got the chance to have a loving husband, a child – _a family_ \- because of your illness. Besides, I could've never done what you did for my family. You _saved_ them. And I'm grateful for that." Kushina admitted, her voice laced with gratitude for the woman who gave her husband a chance to live. "Because of you, Minato is _alive_ right now, and Naruto will be happy with his father by his side. That is all I could ever ask from you."she bowed down her head and said "Thank you for saving my family."

Lillian's lower lip quivered as she looked at Kushina with desperation, her emerald eyes shining with tears "You're not angry at me?" She asked in a small voice.

Kushina shook her head and smiled softly at her "Not at all."

"I-" She paused and bit her lip and closed her eyes, and said in a grateful tone "Thank you, Kushina."

_'Thank you for forgiving me.'_

Kushina smiled warmly at her and said "Your Welcome." Then she got up, and held her hand out for Lillian, who grabbed it with her own. Kushina pulled Lillian up, and said in a soft tone "You should go back now."

"No, I-" she stuttered as she took a step back "I don't want to."

"You have to go back, my little Lily Flower." James Potter, her father, finally joined the conversation.

"This place is not for you. You should be back in the world of living, not among us dead people." Remus said with a sigh.

"There nothing left for me there." Lillian argued.

Lily Potter shook her head, making her flaming red curls fly to and fro "No, there's so much that you have to do. You only need to look at the right place."

"Please," she pleaded as she looked at the five of them in the eye "Don't send me back."

"You have to go," Sirius answered as he gave her a fond look "there are people waiting for you back there."

The five of them started walking away, making her feel her stomach coil with dread.

"Don't go, please!" She asked as she tried to follow them, but they seemed far away from her. No matter how faster she ran, she could never catch up to them.

"Take care of Teddy," Remus said as he turned, giving Lillian a gentle smile. "He really needs you."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she nodded her head, "I will."

Kushina turned her head a bit and said "Promise me that you'll take care of Minato and Naruto for me. Give them all the love I never could, and make sure no harm comes to them. Protect them with all your heart, and love them like your own family." She then paused and added, "Oh and don't you dare neglect yourself! Treat them as your own family, like your own husband and son. I won't mind if you take my place in their lives, I just want them – _and you_ \- to be happy. Don't let anyone get in the way to your happiness. Can you promise me this, Lillian?"

"I-I promise." She choked out.

Kushina nodded gratefully and turned around to walk away from her. Panic seized her heart as she felt them walking farther away from her. She felt all alone without them by her side. She held out her hand, and cried out to them in desperation "Don't leave me!"

Lily Potter shook her head and said "We'll always be by your side."

She cried softly as her precious people just kept going farther away from her. She knew they would always be by her side, no matter what, but could she live another decade or so without them? _Could she take care of Teddy like she had promised Remus? Was she brave enough to face Minato and Naruto and take Kushina's place in their lives?_

She didn't think she had enough courage to be with Minato and Naruto without Kushina. How could she ever think of even replacing Kushina in their lives? She had no right to do such a horrible act! Even if Kushina did give her the green signal to take her place in her husband's and son's lives, she didn't feel elated to so such a thing. She'd feel so much better if she had Kushina by her side.

She turned her head, and called out to Kushina. "Stay with me!" who turned and gave her a warm smile, and said-

_"Always."_

* * *

When the King's Cross Station faded before her eyes, the first thing she registered was the unbearable pain exploding through her body. She shot her eyes open -which felt _so Goddamn heavy_ \- and groaned as her head pounded against her skull. Her body felt like it was on fire – _what with every part of her screaming in pain_ \- and she took deep breaths to calm her down and stop her from screaming bloody murder at the unbearable pain. She let her eyes adjust to the light around her, and as soon as the blurriness in her vision faded away, she found her eyes assaulted with an unhealthy amount of _white_ , making her groan again. She swore she _hated_ the color white. It was so darn _bright_!

She let her eyes wander, and found herself in room with white walls and ceiling – _which must be a hospital room_ \- with various machines attached to her person. She could feel the itchy bandages on the lower part of her body, under the hideous hospital gown. There was an IV tube attached to her arm, and she could even hear the annoying beeping of the heart monitor.

Scanning the room for any one, she sighed in relief when she realized that she was all alone at the moment, though she could had a feeling there were Guards just outside her room. _Not like she cared anyways._

She let her mind wander as she closed her eyes and relaxed for a bit. So, apparently her dearest servant Death had swapped her soul with Kushina's, at a very wrong time, and because of it she had to face a demon with – _how many tails he had, anyways?_ **_Nine_** \- her mind supplied. _Thanks, Mind._

So, back to the point, she faced a nine tailed demon, sealed it up inside Kushina's husband and son, and then died with a smile on her face –but Death being a bastard as he is, left her stranded in the middle of nowhere, where she got to meet her parents, her Godfather, her family friend, and Kushina herself; and then after having an embarrassing mental breakdown in front of them, Death sent her back into the living world _again_ in Kushina's body.

_She really felt like kicking Death's ass for making her go through this much._

She was extremely exhausted – _both physically and emotionally_ \- and wanted nothing more than to sleep away for the rest of her life, but unfortunately her mind was whirling with thoughts, making it impossible for her to fall asleep.

So lost in her thoughts, she never noticed when the door opened and a woman walked into the room.

"Oh Good, you're awake."

Startled by the voice, her eyes shot open, and she snapped her head towards the intruder – _which she really regretted doing, since her head throbbed again, and the muscles around her neck and shoulders protested_. She winced at the sudden flare of pain in her head and neck region, and then looked at the blonde woman who walked towards her, followed by a black haired teenage girl. The blonde woman had amber eyes, a purple diamond over her forehead, and she couldn't help but stare at her bigger than normal boobs that were constricted by a grey shirt. She shook her head and turned towards the teenage girl, who had short black hair, dark eyes, pale skin and looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, and held a baby pig in her hands.

The teenager helped her sit up and lean against a pillow, while the blonde woman gave her an annoyed look, and bopped her head, making her flinch in pain. "You're such a knucklehead, Kushina! If you hadn't had a face-off with the nine tails and got yourself in a coma, I wouldn't have had to return back to this cursed village to heal you up! If you hadn't gotten yourself almost killed, Minato would've left me alone, but no! You just had to be almost dead, making Minato send his ANBU to- _literally_ \- drag me back to the village!" the woman glared angrily at her, and slammed her hand down a chair lying next to her hospital bed, breaking it with ease. Lillian's eyes widened in horror as she saw the remains of a once beautiful chair, and gulped fearfully at the woman's monster strength. The woman kept ranting on and on "now I am stuck in this village, all thanks to you!" the woman said sarcastically. "I swear Kushina, if that husband of yours doesn't keep leash on his ANBU, I swear I will pulverize him!"

Lillian scooted away from the crazy lady, eying the woman's fists warily. _Who knew what more can that woman do with that monster strength of hers?_

"Lady Tsunade!" the teenage girl squeaked out in horror "You can't just threaten the Hokage's wife!"

"I can and I will!" The woman – _Tsunade_ -snapped at the black haired teenager, who just rolled her eyes and sighed and the piglet in her arms grunted. "If you have any problem with it, then you can get the hell out of this room, and maybe inform that insufferable blonde brat that his precious wife is awake."

The ravenette's eyes glanced at her, and then back to Tsunade and was about to protest, when Tsunade glowered and ordered "Shizune, get out! NOW!"

The teenage girl – _whose name was Shizune_ \- quickly scurried out of the room. As soon as she went out, Tsunade sighed wearily as she looked at her with so much sadness and concern, and hugged her lightly so as not to irritate her injuries, and said worryingly "Oh Kushina, I'm so glad that you're fine. If anything would've happened to you, I don't know what I'd have done."

As Tsunade released her from the hug, Lillian realized a minute later that the woman was trembling and clutching a necklace with a green stone tightly in her hand. "I-I thought I lost you too." Tsunade said, her voice wavering as she spoke.

Her eyes softened at the woman's vulnerable expression. Kushina must've had so many people who cherished her and loved her. She was really lucky to have so many loved ones. This Tsunade character actually reminded her of Professor Mcgonagall, who was always stern with children, but behind that façade was a kind woman who loved every student like her own child. Seeing this woman express her sadness to her reminded her of her former professor.

_Just who was this woman to Kushina?_

She hissed as an onslaught of memories assaulted her. Memories of a young Kushina who was brought from her Village hidden in Whirlpool to the Leaf Village for the task of becoming a Jinchurriki, who found solace in the company of Mito Uzumaki, who had been the current Jinchurriki at that time. Tsunade and her brother Nawaki were Mito's grandchildren, and they treated Kushina like a little sister. Mito died sometime later after transferring the nine tails into her, and some years later Nawaki was killed during a battle, just a day after his birthday, leaving Tsunade heartbroken. Sometime later Tsunade fell in love with a shinobi by the name of Dan Kato, who also died some time later, making Tsunade believe that she was cursed and anyone whom she loves suffer a gruesome death. She took on Dan's niece - _Shizune_ -and left the village, and wasn't heard f since then.

Lillian hissed in pain and grabbed her head as Kushina's memories assaulted her tiny brain, making it throb in pain. She groaned and leant her head back to the pillow as she willed the pain to subside, but it didn't.

Suddenly, a warm and soothing energy wrapped around her head, lessening her pain, and making her sigh in relief. She opened her eyes and found Tsunade's glowing green hands placed on her forehead.

"Better?" Tsunade asked as she pulled her hands away and their glowing stopped.

She nodded but didn't say anything.

"It was due to a mild concussion, don't worry I fixed it." Tsunade said as she ruffled her hair, making her smile softly.

"Thank you, Tsunade-nee." She said, her voice croaking as her throat was dry.

"Your welcome, brat." Tsunade said back to her, fondly. "I'm just glad that you're awake from your coma. Minato was really worried about you, you know?"

She glanced down at her hands and didn't say anything. A soothing silence fell over the room, making the two women relax. However, the silence didn't last long as the door was slammed open by a certain blonde Hokage, as he all but rushed into the room in a flash of yellow – _with his sunny blonde hair a rat's nest, dark bags under his deepdeepdeepdeepdeep blue eyes, and clothes slightly disheveled_ \- and stopped right in front of her.

His _deepdeepdeepdeepdeep_ blue eyes stared into her purple ones –which now had green streaks in them- and he took deep breaths as he choked out-

"Kushina….."

_Speak of the Devil and he shall appear…._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: thank you for the kudos, Bookmarks and Hits, although I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get much reviews. Really guys, To be honest, i don't care if you guys don't give this story Kudos or Bookmarks, but I'd honestly love to hear from you guys. I'd like to hear your honest opinions- be it praises (that's hardly likely), suggestions or criticism, I'll take it in stride. So please, please REVIEW! 
> 
> I'll be waiting for your comments!
> 
> Oh, and before I forget, here is your next Review Question (Still disappointed that no one answered my previous question)~
> 
> #Review Question- What is your favorite scene from the Harry Potter Series? (I'm talking about Movie, not books)
> 
> Mine is the scene in the Last Movie when Professor Mcgonagall uses the spell 'Piertotum Locomoto' and thousands of armored statues of Hogwarts castle become alive and start moving up and about. That was one hell of an epic scene! Oh, and also the one where Harry sees Snape's memories –that scene had actually rendered me into a sobbing mess.
> 
> What's yours?


	3. A Guilt Striken Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Minato and Lillian/Kushina talk and then Lillian/Kushina finally meets baby Naruto. Being the idiot she is, she forcefully makes Kushina's memories merge into her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: Dude, if I owned Harry Potter and Naruto, I wouldn't be here on this site.
> 
> WARNING: Language, plot holes, character deaths, sexual innuendos.

She could not move. She could not breathe. The storm of emotions residing behind his _bluebluedeepblue_ eyes made her insides tingle with warmth, and her heart to turn to mush.

"Minato." She blurted out, seemingly lost in his _bluebluebluedeepblue_ eyes and she never noticed the way her purple eyes – _with the new greenish streaks in them_ \- softened up a bit at the sight of him, and her lips quirked upwards in a resemblance of a soft smile, which did not go unnoticed by her supposed-husband, who relaxed his tensed shoulders and looked like he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless – _which she had no doubt what he really wanted to do_. Good thing he didn't try anything like that or he might've irritated her injuries, And NO, she wasn't thinking about him kissing her senseless, no she definitely wasn't – _Ugh, why is the stupid image playing again and again in front of her eyes? Damn you Kushina and your hormonal body!_

A deep blush crept up from her neck, as she let her eyes fall down and try her best to will her skin to change back to the normal skin tone, while Minato eyed the blush creeping up her face as it turned a rosy red, like her hair. Her cheeks turned redder when she realized that Minato was still staring at her, though the way he was staring at her made the third party in the room quite obvious of what he was thinking.

"Ugh," Tsunade moaned as she let her head fall in her hands, startling the two young couple out of their reverie "Stop it you two! This is a hospital!" then she mumbled under her breath "I think I'm gonna barf rainbows and unicorns next."

"T-Tsunade!" she said, appalled.

Tsunade rolled her eyes but fortunately, didn't say anything.

She shook her head, and looked back at Minato, only to find that he was still staring at her, eying her as if she was a fragile glass and would shatter with a touch.

"Minato…?" she asked uneasily as she shifted nervously under his sharp gaze. _Frankly, he was creeping her out with his staring._

Tsunade really wanted to hit her head against the wall, or maybe hit the boy himself - _Hm….. now that's quite a tempting thought._ But seriously though, can't the brat see he's making Kushina uncomfortable with his blatant staring. Okay, she got it that he was really relieved to see her alright, but seriously, did he have to stare at her like he was just going to have at _it_ right here and now?

"Kushina….." He finally breathed out as he tried his best to not give her a bone crushing hug, or kiss her senseless. He was relieved that she was okay, that she was fine and she was _not dead_. He had almost had a heart attack when her heart stopped and had to jump-start it with a lightening Jutsu, but even when her heart started beating in it's melodic rhythm, she was in a coma. The medics in the hospital said that they couldn't do anything about her condition, and he had no choice but to dispatch an ANBU team to drag back Lady Tsunade to the village – _because if he had lost her that fateful day, he knew he wouldn't have been able to live with himself_. He had been anxious and worried about her health, and mix in the bickering Council, the shambled state the Village was in, and his son Naruto; you get one dead exhausted Minato Namikaze. But all was worth it, he guessed, because in the end Kushina was alright. She was _alive_. His throat dried as he said "I-I thought you left me. I thought you have _died_." He squeezed his eyes shut and said in a desperate tone " _Please_ don't ever do something like that again, or I won't be able to live with myself." She opened her mouth to argue back, but he gave her a pleading look _"Please."_

Her expression softened, and she looked down at her hands "I understand. I am so sorry to make you worry, Minato."

Minato sighed as he slumped his shoulders in exhaustion and relief, and said "It's fine, Kushina. I'm just glad you're alright." He gave her a small smile when she looked up at him, and frowned when she noted how weary he looked.

"You haven't been taking care of yourself, have you?" She accused as she noticed the dark bags under his eyes, and his skin was turning pale. His blonde hair was really messy, and he looked like he could drop dead any second. At this rate, she was sure he'd get sick. She had promised Kushina she'd take care of him and Naruto, but if he kept on like that, she'd really have a hard time making him see sense. She wasn't a mother hen like Hermione, but she sure can be stubborn when she wants to be, and now looks like the best time to use her stubbornness to get him to rest. He really seemed like a person who'd get immersed in work and forget the world around him. "You look horrible." She said.

"Thanks." Minato deadpanned.

"No seriously, you really look like you will drop dead any second now." She said curtly, all sense of politeness and common sense flew out of window. She knew she was straight-forward, but she thought it was way too straight-forward for her. She felt like her mouth was running off without consulting with her brain. _What was going on?_ "Knowing you, you must've been cooped up in that office of yours for days, and haven't eaten anything properly. I know you're the Hokage of this village, but _Jeez!_ Don't forget you're a human too! You too need to eat and sleep properly! It isn't like you to neglect your own self. It must have been those Council members, isn't it? Those old coots must be giving you a hard time, aren't they? I swear, if they stress you out more than you are, I swear I will give them a piece of my mind, _Dattebane_!"

She was taken aback by the last word. _Dattebane? What the fuck?_

_What happened to her brain-to-mouth filter?_

Tsunade roared out in laughter, and even Minato cracked a smile. She blushed and berated herself for rambling off like that. Tsunade said as she chuckled "That's the Kushina we know. I had been wondering why you were being so awfully quiet."

She blushed a deeper red at her comment. Minato stared at her in amusement, and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when the door creaked open and in came Shizune with a man holding a small bundle in his arms. The man had tanned skin and dark eyes, and his dark hair was pulled up in a pony tail that resembled a pineapple quite a lot, and had a goatee. He had two scars over his face that did nothing to tone down his handsomeness. He was wearing dark pants and long sleeved shirt, and a green vest over his shirt. The man's shoulders were slouched as he walked lazily into the room, and his eyes were drooped a bit, as if he were feeling sleepy. Though she could see the sharp intelligence in his eyes, and was for a moment reminded of Professor Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes that held so much wisdom, and she stopped herself before drowning into thoughts of her previous life.

"Shikaku?" Minato blinked, confused. "What are you doing here? And why did the ANBU let you come in? I remember ordering them to not let anyone come in, except a few people."

The man – _Shikaku_ \- muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "Troublesome." And then he said sarcastically "Maybe that's because I had your son with me, whom you forgot in the Meeting Room with the elders before running away at the news of your wife's recovery?"

Lillian raised her brows in disbelief as Minato blushed a deep red and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, while Tsunade just snickered at his expense.

"You left your son in a meeting room?" She asked, horrified.

"It was an accident!" Minato said as he held up his hands in surrender, noticing his wife's incredulous look.

"Who forgets their own son in a Meeting Room?" She asked incredulously.

"Apparently, he does." Tsunade said smugly as she pointed at Minato, who just glared at her.

She let her head fall in her hands. What kind of father leaves their son in their office with a bunch of old people? She understood that he must've been shocked when Shizune must've informed him about her recovery, but still, that was no excuse to forget your own son! She really needed to knock down some sense into him. What did Kushina saw in this guy, anyways? What was she thinking, marrying such an airheaded man? And now when she was happily spending time with _her_ parents in the Spirit world, she was stuck with her family, playing house-wife with them. She moaned in despair and said "I have an idiot for a husband."

Tsunad burst out in laughter, and even Shikaku and Shizune couldn't help but snicker. Minato pouted and said in a mocking hurt tone "You hurt me, Kushina."

Lillian rolled her eyes and shook her head as a small smile appeared on her lips, making Minato beam happily. She glanced up at Shikaku, and her eyes fell down on the little bundle that he held carefully in his arms. Minato followed her line of vision, and his expression softened when he realized that his wife was looking at Naruto. He took Naruto from Shikaku's arms, and nodded his thanks to him, to which the Nara simply tilted his head and bowed down his head. He then turned to walked out of the room, but not before glancing back at Kushina and saying-

"It's good to have you back, Kushina." Saying this, he walked out of the room.

Lillian looked at the back of the retreating man, and then at Minato, who walked towards her with the small bundle of joy in his arms, making faces as walked towards her bed, and she could hear the little toddler gurgling in his arms.

"Here." Minato said as he held up his hands and gently settled Naruto –who was covered with blue blankets- in her arms, and turned to Naruto and said in a soft tone "Naruto, meet your Mother, Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze."

Her voice lodged up in her throat as those _deepdeepdeepdeepdeepdeep_ blue eyes of the baby stared into her purple ones, and she immediately melted. The boy was so small and fragile, that she felt fearful to even touch him – _afraid that he might shatter in pieces_. The boy looked like his father –what with the blonde tuft of hair peeking out from his hair, and his bright blue eyes, but the round shape of his jaw, his small nose and his wide eyes shape were similar to Kushina's. If the boy had been born with red hair, there was no doubt he'd have looked like a mini Kushina – _just with a male body_. She held him tighter as the toddler reached out his chubby hands towards her, and gurgled. Naruto sure was a happy baby, which can actually be seen by the fact that he didn't fuss as much as Teddy had, although he did squirm a lot in her arms. A pool of warmth settled inside her heart as she stared at Naruto, who somehow took chunks of her red hair in his chubby little fingers and brought them to his mouth, dripping them with saliva. And the next time his eyes met hers, she felt the warmth tingle her body and she vowed that she'd do everything to make him happy. She'll do anything to protect this child, and treat him like a son, even though she wasn't his mother technically. _She'd do anything for his happiness._

But this was hypocrisy in it's highest form. Here she was, vowing to protect his happiness, when she was the one who had snatched it away from him. No matter how much she loves him, it'll always be nothing compared to how much Kushina loved her son. She willingly gave up her own body and spirit to protect her son and husband, _how many people could do that?_ Lillian was sure that even she didn't have that much courage to let someone take her place in her life.

She felt like she was spitting on Kushina's sacrifice by taking her place. It was _so_ _wrong_. She knew she had always wanted a family, but not like this. _Not at the cost of someone else's happiness._

But the truth was that even though she resented the predicament she was in, there was no changing the fact that she was in Kushina's body, and Kushina's soul, by all means, was dead. _And she was responsible for it._

"Naruto," she choked out as a lone tear slipped out of her eyes, "I'm so sorry." She closed her eyes as she held him in her arms and hugged him gently. Minato was bewildered, and panicked as tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook her head and sobbed. If her soul hadn't forced Kushina's out of her body, she'd have been alive right now. "I'm really very sorry Naruto. It's my fault, my entire fault. I- I am so _so_ sorry." _I am so sorry that I couldn't save your Mom and am the reason that she is not alive, though I don't think you'll ever get to know that._

Naruto, sensing his mother's distress, started wailing, and Minato panicked. Now, he had to not only shush up his child, but his wife too, both of whom were bawling their eyes out and Minato had no idea what to do. _Poor him._

She smiled bitterly as Naruto wailed, and wiped her tears by the back of her left sleeve of hospital gown. She then patted Naruto's back and hummed to calm him down. Her eyes were still brimming with tears, but at least they were not falling down. Naruto's wails soon toned down, and soon he ended up asleep. She settled the sleeping baby in her lap and smiled softly as she said "I'll try my best to be a good mother to you, Naruto." _Though I know I would never be able to replace Kushina._

Minato's heart melted into goo at the scene in front of him, as he watched his wife Kushina hummed Naruto to sleep. His heart warmed at the sight before him. This was what he was fighting for- his family. He'd do anything to protect his family.

_Danzo better watch out if he thinks he'd let the old bastard get his hands on Naruto that easily._

* * *

Lillian glanced out of the window to look at the moon, whose dim light fell into the room, lightening it up a bit. She turned and looked down at the crib next to her bed, and smiled softly as she watched Naruto sleeping peacefully. The baby had woken up a while ago and started crying, and she breast-fed him and soon he was asleep again. Even though he was a happy baby, Naruto could sure cause a ruckus.

It has been days since she had woken up, and her injuries were healing perfectly well, though according to Tsunade it'd take quite a time since her body is trying to adjust with the lack of nine tails chakra inside her body. It turned out that she had been the previous Jinchurikki – _go figure_. That's why it was taking much time for her to recover.

Meanwhile Minato had moved Naruto's crib and toys and all his essentials in the Hospital room, when he realized that she was quite unwilling to part up with Naruto. It was really a tiring task to take care for a baby for twenty-four/seven, but she was all too delighted to do it since she was banned from leaving her hospital room as when the last time she had done it, she had fainted in the middle of the street while sneaking around – _in her hospital gown no less_ \- and had given quite a heart attack to Minato.

Even though most of her time is spent on caring for Naruto, she got bored easily. There was nothing for her to do around here. Minato rarely visited her – _Hokage duties and all_ \- but he tried his best to visit at least during lunch and dinner every day. He'd always arrive looking tired to death, and would watch her and Naruto the entire time. Sometimes, he would talk about his day, and sometimes they'd both discuss about the seal she had used to seal up the nine tails inside him and Naruto. Though he'd enter up dead tired, he always left with a smile on his lips, which she didn't know why, but it always made her somewhat happy.

Tsunade came regularly –although that was only for check-up or for threatening her to not do anything stupid like sneaking out of the hospital or not taking her medicines on time. She always left quickly, leaving her bored as hell.

The ANBU guards around her room did not talk at all, and she sometimes wondered if they don't get bored at all, standing there all day, keeping a watch over her.

No one came to visit her except Minato, Tsunade and sometimes even Shikaku, and she wondered why won't anyone visit Kushina, because she seemed like the kind of person everyone loved, just like George and Fred had been loved by everyone in Hogwarts – _well, except maybe the Slyhtherins and Snape_. She had a feeling it was because Minato had banned anyone from entering her room or something, because she had clearly remembered the number of people who had approached her and wished her to get well soon when she had sneaked out into the village one day. _Not that she recognized anyone of them._

She leaned her back against the pillow and wondered if she had somehow short-circuited Kushina's brain. She knew Kushina's memories were supposed to be merging with her, the proof of this was the fact that her mind had recognized Minato, Naruto and even Tsunade immediately. So why did she not recognize anything in the village? Why is it that Kushina's memories weren't appearing and giving her an insight on everything? When she had roamed around the village, she had felt like a stranger roaming in a new city they had arrived, and got lost a multiple times. Not to ignore the fact that she recognized none of the people who had approached her, even though some of them seemed pretty close to her. Especially those three teenagers who called her _"Sensei"_ and the black haired woman by the name of Mikoto Uchiha.

She wondered if she'd ever retain Kushina's memories. Was she really doomed to spend her life as the 'amnesic wife of the Hokage'? _Will Kushina's memories ever get merged with hers? Or was it just a wishful thinking?_

She hissed as memories assaulted her mind, visions running before her eyes in a very fast pace. Her head thundered as if Fluffy had stomped over it a thousand times, and she felt pain even worse than that of Cruciatious Curse. She held her head in her hands and screamed bloody murder as the unbearable pain shot through her head, and made her whole body ache. She thrashed and screamed, and willed the pain to die down, but it only kept increasing, so did the speed at which the memories flashed through her mind. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and it got very hard to breath, but her eyes saw nothing except the visions that her brain was showing.

In the background she could hear shattering of a glass, Naruto's wails - _the poor boy must've been woken up by her screams_ , shouts, and a soothing presence that held her hand and whispered sweet things to her; But all this was overwhelmed by the pain that threatened to break her body apart.

As her memories merged up with Kushina's, she had a hard time differing which one was her's and which one was Kushina's. But there was something same in each one of them – _pain, blood and red demonic eyes that haunted their lives since the time they've been young._

As soon as the images of Voldemort sending the killing curse at her appeared before her eyes, her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and she blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: I am getting really lazy, I think I'm losing motivation to keep typing the story, even though I do have the whole idea fit in my head. Can someone please cure my laziness? I don't really want to turn into a Nara –with no smarts to back up my laziness, of course.
> 
> Oh, and before I forget! Here's the ReviewQuestion for today-
> 
> #Review Question- If you were given a chance to change or stop any one incident from happening in the Naruto World, which one would you choose?
> 
> I'd choose to stop the The Nine tails attack- especially Minato and Kushina's deaths. I know without them Naruto had grown out to be quite a strong willed person, but still I would never wish any child to lose their parents –especially such a loving one as Minato and Kushina.
> 
> So, what do you think? Which incident would you want to change in Narutoverse's History?
> 
> Don't forget to REVIEW!


	4. A Soul Lost To Loneliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lillian creates a sub-conscious to help her keep track of her and Kushina's memories, the new Kushina-persona is cold but kick-ass! Lillian/Kushina is harrassed by the Council *cough*Danzo*cough* to tell them about the Sealing Art she used to seal up Kurama and A look at the seal Death had used on Minato makes her want to rip the Death God apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: Thank you all the readers for giving me so much awesome reviews! Special thanks to every guest reader who took time to review on my story, since I can't personally thank them. I'm glad that you're liking this story so far.
> 
> I'm still not cured of laziness, but at least knowing that you all guys are eagerly waiting for the new chapter and won't leave me alone until I update the next one, gives me inspiration to write more. You guys should know that this chapter was one hell to type. I had to write the chapter five times, and then to delete each one of it because I always found something missing in it, and finally I'm somewhat satisfied by this one, though this one turned out to be one ass lengthy chapter. I really hope you like this one since I tried to add a little bit of humor in it, but maybe I failed to write this chapter a good one since humor and angst don't mix well together.
> 
> Oh well, won't know until someone else tells me that! So, after reading this chapter, don't forget to review!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Wished I owned Naruto and Harry Potter, but sadly, I don't.
> 
> WARNING: Language, plot holes, character deaths, sexual innuendos.

Her mind was in shambles- _literally_. When Lillian had thought about merging Kushina's memories with her own, her magic had accidentally merged with some of Kushina's chakra subconsciously, that caused her mindscape to implode. All the memories whirled around her faster than her eyes could see, and she was sure she'd go deaf with all too many voices speaking at the same time in different memories that whirled around her. So, what do you think the first thing she did in such an apocalypse? She fled, of course.

_So much for being a Gryffindor._

She fled to a corner in the mindscape where things weren't so hectic. She took a deep breath, and tried to sort out a plan. _Okay_ , first thing she'd have to do was to build up Occumulency shields and wards all around the mindscape so that no _Ninja-mind-reader-wannabe_ could enter her mind during her such a vulnerable state.

But did Ninjas have legillimens like wizards do?

Who knows? _It's never too late to be cautious, right?_ -A sudden memory of Moody screaming "CONSTANT VIGILIANCE!" sprang up before her, and she shrieked out in terror as she stumbled down in the darkness of her mind and kicked the memory away.

 _Merlin, if this keeps up for much longer, she was sure she'd go insane._ She really needed to do something about this, and fast.

"Of course." She stood up and said as realization dawned on her, and a small smile bloomed on her lips. "Who said I have to do this all alone?" She held out her hands and concentrated the chakra to accumulate before her, but it was being difficult as she was too used to magic, hence summoning up chakra was proving to be quite difficult to her.

The problem was not that chakra and magic were quite similar to each other. In fact, it was quite opposite. Even though chakra and magic were both energies, they were more like oil and water- they did not mix well. You can't weave hand-signs and channel magic for doing a jutsu, similarly you can't force chakra to flow out perfectly in a wand. Metaphorically, It's like only a specific key can open a lock –you can't just open the lock with just any key. Both Chakra and Magic may be energies, but the way to use that energy is very different. Mixing these two is very difficult, but if you do mix them somehow, the result will not be good. _At all._

And since Lillian was used to channeling magic at her will, gathering up chakra was very hard to do, since she had never done it – _to speak literally_. But technically, Kushina has done it a numerous time, hence it is not an impossible task for her.

Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead as the gathered chakra that she held in her arms began to take shape. She concentrated as she shaped the blue shimmering chakra into a figure of a red haired girl she respected so much since recently. The chakra made person opened her eyes and blinked as she stared at Lillian, and muttered "Wait….. You're not Boss."

"No I'm not." Lillian admitted as she wiped sweat from her forehead, and pulled a treacherous flaming red curl behind her ear. "I'm filling up for her from now on. She permitted me to live on as her."

"So basically, you're like a parasite leaching on boss's physical energy and kicked her out of her own body." Kushina said flatly, making Lillian flinch. This cold, emotionless persona was really not like the real Kushina, who was warm, kind and full of energy.

Lillian's emerald green eyes fell down on the ground, unable to look up at her. She knew she shouldn't take her words to heart, but _damn!_ She wasn't wrong, was she? If it hadn't been for her, Kushina would've been alive right now. _If she had just-_

"Anyways, I don't care. Parasite or not, Boss gave you permission to use her chakra as your own, so I don't believe my opinion matters anyways." Kushina shrugged, and then saluted to her as she asked "So, what are the orders, new Boss?"

Lillian scratched the back of her head and said "Er, would you mind helping me sort out this mess?" She gestured around her, and for the first time Kushina's persona looked around to see what the real problem was. The mindscape was shattered and the memories were out of control, whirling around like a tornado. Even the chakra was floating around wildly, and…. _Were those tendrils of Mahou (Magic) she was seeing?_

Not even her boss had caused this much destruction when she had first met the Demon Fox in her mindscape – _and that was saying something since that day she had broke her mind such that she fell in a coma for six months._

The Kushina-persona face sweat dropped seeing the disaster around her and muttered "Geez, you're even worse than boss."

Lillian asked uncertainly "That was not a compliment, was it?"

"It definitely wasn't." She deadpanned.

Lillian sweat dropped.

* * *

The following week had been – _to simply put it_ \- painful for Lillian. She had been knocked out for the first two days dealing with the full brunt of memories in subconscious level. _Thank Merlin_ for Occumulency shields, they had helped a lot with sorting out Kushina's memories, and also helped her create a mental persona for Kushina who'd guard her own memories as she didn't want a repeat episode of what had happened in her fifth year – _she still was miffed by the fact that Voldemort had once almost possessed her mind and body in her fifth year when she had been vulnerable seeing Sirius die because of her._ Since that disastrous event, Is it really that surprising that she was wary of Mind-readers?

Thanks to Occumulency, she had been able to create a Kushina's persona – _which wasn't that hard considering she just had to accumulate Kushina's chakra flowing through the body and shape it up to look like her_ \- to help her sort out both her memories and Kushina's. And good thing she did too, since some mind reader had occurred in her mindscape while she was strengthening the barrier runes and seals around her more forbidden memories -like Cedric dying during her fourth year and Voldemort's revival ritual, the torture she had to endure at Malfoy Manor when they got caught during Horcrux Hunt, the gruesome way Snape had died before her eyes and worse- her own not-so-pleasant death and what happened following it. She didn't want anyone to find out about them.

So, anyways, she had been strengthening the barriers around those forbidden memories when a legillimen Ninja dared to enter her Mindscape after breaking through the pitiful wards she had set up temporarily around her mind. The Mind Reader had ended up being on Kushina's side of mindscape where the Kushina-persona had been struggling with various untamed memories of Kushina's life when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and broke her concentration, releasing all the memories she had captured till now. Furious that all her hard work just went down in drain, she snarled at the poor mind reader, and kicked him out of her mind, screaming-

"Do you want to get killed, Inoichi? If you want to remain alive then _Don't. you. Dare. Come. Back. here!"_

Hearing that, Lillian rolled down on the ground with laughter as Kushina's persona kicked the Mind reader out. You have to admit though, that was _freaking hilarious!_

* * *

A few days later

* * *

"Are you alright? Do you need anything- like food water or anything?"

"Minato, _for the hundredth time now_ , I'm _fine_!" Lillian snapped, annoyed at Minato who kept asking her every five minute or so if she was fine. She was really regretting waking up.

_Why, oh why had she not stayed in her Mindscape?_

Oh right, because Kushina's persona had kicked her out of the Mindscape. _Damn Kushina and her impulsive chakra!_ She sure is quite brash and impulsive. And she really knows how to pack a good kick, _Damn_ she could still the phantom pains in her butt as the Kushina persona had kicked her out – _literally_ \- of the Mindscape!

"Are you sure? You _really_ don't need anything?" Minato pressed on as he furrowed his brow and gazed at her with a concerned look.

She growled angrily under her breath. _Damn these husband and wife were making her life a living hell!_ She really wanted to kick Death into oblivion for dropping her in this mess. It was all his fault that she was stuck here playing house-wife here when in reality she should've been enjoying Peace with her family! She glowered angrily at him, as her blood red hair floated in the air with the help of chakra, and split into nine parts. A menacing look appeared on her face as she asked in a sickly sweet voice "Care to repeat that to me once again, _sweetheart_?"

Minato blanched as he saw the look she was giving him, and did the only sane thing he could do to save himself from the wrath of his wife- He fled the room.

And no, he was _Not_ screaming like a headless chicken as he ran away. No way. Definitely _NOT._

_….Oh Shut up and stop laughing at him!_

* * *

Lillian was bored. Like really, _really_ bored. _Being Kushina sucks, really!_ In her previous life as Lillian Potter, every moment of her life was an adventure. Not a moment went idle. _And now?_ Duh, she was going to rip off her hair from boredom.

And no she was not alone. After there was nothing for her to do. _Really._ Taking care of a kid would only keep you busy for some time. Rest of the time, she was left staring at the boring white ceiling and walls, or hearing Tsunade's rants about how it was all her fault that she was stuck in this godforsaken village, or staring at Minato as he sits next to her bed and complete his paperwork - _since he was convinced that when he wasn't here, something bad always happened to her._ Gosh, being a Hokage was such a dorky job. Who'd want to be a Hokage anyways?

 _Oh right, Kushina did- once_. Maybe if someone had told the woman earlier that all the Hokage had to do was fill up paperwork or attend boring meetings with Council members who were stingy old coots, she'd have shrieked out in horror would've vowed to NEVER be a Hokage.

Now to think of it, it was a good thing Kushina didn't become the Hokage. She shuddered to even think the state of the village if Kushina was to ever become Hokage. The Village won't have been standing if she had been made the Forth Hokage instead of Minato.

"It's time for your medicine, Lady Kushina." Shizune's voice snapped her out of her trance and she turned and glanced at Shizune, with a tray in her hands that had her medicines on it, as well as a glass of water. Behind her stood three boys, who looked not more than sixteen. She raised her eyebrows as she recognized the three of them. According to Kushina's memories, these were her students. She had actually met them that one time when she had managed to sneak out of the Hospital, and boy had she almost fled when the three of them started crying hysterically and hugged her tightly when she met them accidentally in training Ground Two. _Boy, that had been scary_.

"Guy? Ebisu? Genma? What are you three doing here? I thought Minato ordered the ANBU guarding the room so as not to let anyone in except himself, Tsunade and Shizune." She asked as she tilted her head.

Guy, being the eccentric person he is, said in his loud, yelling voice with tears streaming down his eyes "The Hokage finally acknowledged our youthfulness and let us visit you, Sensei! HOW YOUTHFUL OF HIM!"

Genma and Shizune sweat dropped. Genma slid the senbon in his mouth slightly as he muttered under his breath "Or maybe he was fed up of you screaming your ' _youthful_ ' comments and pestering him for days and that's why he granted access to her room."

"Now, now Genma, Don't be so rude to your teammate." She scolded him almost unknowingly, as if it was a daily routine. Maybe it was, if Kushina's memories were to be taken into account.

Genma shrugged as he looked away and said "He asked for it."

Guy turned towards him, and smiled blindingly at him, and stuck his thumb out upwards, doing his nice-Guy pose and said "Thank you for your support!"

_Merlin, was that an actual sunset behind him, or was it an illusion?!_

"Who the hell taught him that?" She asked out in horror as she pointed at Guy, or maybe she was pointing at the blinding Genjutsu of sunset behind him. Genma couldn't tell.

"Chouza-Sensei taught him that to keep him busy for some time." Genma answered nonchalantly, as if it was an everyday occurrence – _or maybe it was_.

She groaned as she let her head fall in her hands as she muttered "I swear I'm going to kill him when I meet him the next time. I asked him to take my place as the Team Captain for your squad temporarily, who told him to mess up with you guys?!" Genma swore he heard her mutter "I swear he's taking revenge about that time she messed up his snacks. It was an accident!" He shook his head and ignored her, knowing that his whole Team was filled with weirdos.

Shizune ignored the antics of the three boys behind her as she handed her a pill and a glass of water. Lillian grimaced as she chugged down the medicine with a glass of water and muttered incoherent words, which were something along the lines of "….so bitter…" and "…never thought I'll miss Poppy's healing tonics…."

When Lillian stopped gagging and complaining about the bitter taste left in her mouth after the medicine, she eyes the third member of Kushina's Squad, who was being unnaturally quiet. Now, Lillian knew that Ebisu wasn't exactly a shy person – _thanks to Kushina's memories_ \- she knew Ebisu was an egoistic boy who looks down on anyone who is less skilled than him, and is jealous of almost anyone who is better than him. The boy was such a hypocrite – _not to mention that he was a closet pervert too_ \- and can't seem to keep his mouth shut most of the times. So it was really a miracle that he was being quiet right now.

Curious, she looked at Ebisu and realized that the boy was immersed in his book. She noticed that the book had an orange cover and there was a picture of a man chasing a woman over the cover. She squinted her eyes to read the title, and it something like "Make Out Paradise?"

"Huh? What did you say, Sensei?" Guy asked, and she realized that she had the attention of all the teenagers. Well, except one.

Ebisu giggled in a perverted fashion, and….. _was that blood dripping from his nose?_

"What are you reading, Ebisu?" She asked dubiously as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Startled by the fact that his Sensei was calling him, Ebisu jumped and blinked his eyes at his Sensei – _not that anyone'd know because of his sunglasses hiding his eyes from their view_. When he noticed that Kushina-Sensei was glaring at the book, he gulped in fear and tried to hide it from her view and squeaked out "N-Nothing." He knew if Kushina-Sensei caught on what he was reading, he'd be six feet under. Kushina-Sensei was terrifying at times, and now seemed like such a moment when she'd start hissing out as a raging dragon anytime.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." She asked dryly. Honestly, it was just a book. Why was he hiding it so much? "What is it?" she asked him again "Why are you hiding it from me?"

Ebisu just stared at her, with sweat dripping down his forehead as he could imagine the torture he'd go through if his Sensei finds out what kind of literature he was reading. He glanced at his teammates from the corner of his eyes, but both Genma and Guy had scooted away from the bed, and even Shizune was inching towards the door, knowing that Kushina-Sensei's temper would explode soon.

When Ebisu did not reply to her, she made a noise of exasperation and held out her hand. "Give it to me." She said, and Ebisu looked like a deer caught in highlights.

A vein twitched over her forehead as he did not reply, and she said in a menacing tone "I said _GIVE IT TO ME!_ "

Ebisu squeaked out in terror as he all but threw the Orange Book of Doom at his Sensei, who caught it almost easily. _Huh, your body has good reflexes Kushina._ She mused as she flipped the book and read the plot-summary at the back of the book.

"Hm… Porn, huh?"

* * *

Minato really didn't want to do this, not now at least. He wanted to confront Kushina about the seals sometime later, maybe when she was a little better, but the Council Elders were demanding to know the workings of the Seal she put on him and Naruto, and especially where she had learned such style of Sealing arts all of a sudden. And what was that shit with the Shinigami? It had looked like she was ordering the Death god. How was it even possible? He himself was suspicious of it, since he knew if Kushina had known about it beforehand she would've told him about it, but he loved his wife more than anything, and that's why he knew it'd do no good to be suspicious of her as it'd only dwindle his trust on her. And trust is a necessary aspect in a relationship. he didn't want her to stress more than she already was.

However, the Elders had no qualms such as that, and hence had pressed to meet Kushina to ask her about the _Jinchurikki_ s' seal and how it worked. _Especially Danzo_. They were worried if the demon fox would escape once again from either Minato or his son, and that's why they are being cautious. _Or that's what they had said._

Minato snorted. _As if_. He knew what Danzo was trying to do. He had known from Lord Third Hokage – _Hiruzen Sarutobi_ \- that Danzo had always wanted to be Hokage, hence he didn't necessary like Minato. Add to the fact that Minato was one of the two _Jinchurrikki_ s now, Danzo absolutely hate Minato now. He seems to have a notion that _jinchurriki_ s are nothing more than a weapon and he longed to have his hands on a _Jinchurrikki_ so that he could weaponize them. He can't use Minato, since Minato was the Hokage, and was on a higher rank to even consider doing anything to him. There's also the fact that Minato was an adult now, hence not so gullible to Danzo's manipulations.

But Naruto, _Kami_ , Naruto was just a child – _a two months old baby, at that_ \- so if Danzo somehow – _he shudders to even think of that possibility_ \- gets his hands on Naruto, he'd be able to manipulate his child into a perfect little soldier, who is nothing but a weapon.

But Minato knew Danzo can't do that now, since the sealing art used to seal up the Nine tails inside both Minato and Naruto was something they had never seen, or heard of. Since no one knew what kind of seal had been used on both him and his son – _except Kushina, of course_ \- Danzo wouldn't dare to do anything since he wouldn't know how to change the seal, or modify it for his own greedy purposes. That makes Kushina a target in his eyes. He wouldn't put it past the old coot to get her kidnapped so as she could alter Naruto's seal for his own purposes –especially now when she was weak and bedridden due to her injuries.

Not that Minato would let him do anything like that. He swear that if Danzo try _anything_ to harm his family, he'd _kill_ the old coot with his bare hands. He can't lose Kushina, or Naruto. Not when his beautiful wife had almost died once.

Well, it was a good thing that Jiraiya Sensei had decided to come along with him to inspect the seal, or else he might've gone berserk on Danzo as soon as that bastard demanded to confront his wife about the seals.

He didn't realize when he reached her room, but he snapped into attention when the ANBU guarding the room bowed to the Hokage, and the four members of the Council Advisors behind him as they passed through them. Minato stopped right before the door that led to Kushina's room, and nodded towards the silver haired ANBU member guarding the door, wearing a dog mask over his face. The Dog ANBU bowed down and opened the door for the party of six to enter the room.

When he entered the room, he found Kushina patting Naruto's chest, and bouncing him over her lap, as the two months Old boy snuggled peacefully into his blankets. However, Minato blanched when he saw Kushina reading a way too familiar book –with that blasted orange cover- with an interested gleam in her eyes.

"Kushina, pray tell, why are you reading that, that _thing_?!"

* * *

"Because I'm bored and have nothing else to do." Lillian said dryly as she placed the book down and finally glanced up at Minato, and was startled to see five more people with him. Wow, she really must be so out of it to not notice five more people, especially when they had as much powerful chakra as they had. She recognized them from Kushina's memories. These were the stuck up Council Advisors who were always breathing down Kushina's neck, well at least three of them were.

_Well, looks like this isn't a friendly little visit, is it now?_

She glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Hokage who was smoking from his pipe, "Lord Third." She then let her eyes fall on the the cold coot Kushina had hated the most, the one with bandages covering his right arm and eyes and walked with the help of cane- The emotionless bastard by the name of Danzo Shimura "Lord Danzo." She stared at the old man with spectacles, giving her a cold look "Lord Homura." She then looked at the old woman standing next to him, with her grey hair tied up in a neat bun and giving off an air of superiority and Royalty "Lady Koharu." She let her eyes wander on the white haired man who stood next to Minato, who had red lines stretching from his eyes to his cheeks. She remembered from Kushina's memories that this man was one of the Legendary Sannin –like Tsunade- and was also Minato's Sensei, "Master Jiraiya _." Looks like this little visit is nothing more than a political meeting._ She stared at Minato, realizing that this man standing in front of him is not Kushina's husband at that moment, but the Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

_Damn, and here goes her good mood down the drain._

"Lord Hokage, to what do I owe this _pleasant_ visit?" she asked with her best poker face on, which twitched slightly as Kushina's face muscles were not used to stay unmoving for a long time. At times like this, she really wished she had her old body.

Minato opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by none other than Jiraiya.

" _Ohhohohoho!_ " Jiraiya giggled pervertedly as he raised his brows suggestively and stared pointedly at the orange book she had just placed down. "Look what do we have here. Little innocent Kushina was reading my first book of Make-out paradise series." He wiggled his brows and said teasingly "naughty, naughty Kushina."

She stared at him curiously and asked "You wrote this book?"

His chest puffed out as he said dramatically "Why, of course! Isn't it a Masterpiece?!"

"Bullshit. This is the worst porn I've ever read." She said flatly.

_Cue a two minute silence._

" _WHAAAAAAAAAA-?!_ HOW DARE YOU INSULT SUCH A SACRED PIECE OF LITERATURE! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!" He roared out in anger. "You clearly have no sense of literature!"

She said dryly "I have plenty sense of literature. It is you who doesn't know what you're trying to do. Your story has no strong plot, the main character makes no sense at all, and there are so many grammatical mistakes in it. The only thing that makes sense is smut, which, I must say, is the only thing around which the whole story revolves. Your story does not follow a basic story-line, and there is clearly no plot. This is by far the worst story I've read. Even _the Tale of the Three Brothers_ didn't suck this much, considering all it revolved around was _the Deathly hallows_."

"The what-?" Jiraiya asked, a hint of recognition in his voice, but Lillian didn't think about it much.

"It's nothing." She said as she waved her hand off dismissively. "The point is that your story is so boring that it-"

"Ah-hem!" Minato cleared his throat, making her stop mid-rant. She blushed as she realized that she became so engrossed in her ranting that she had almost forgotten about the five other people who stood next to Jiraiya.

She blushed a deep red, ignoring Minato's chuckles and muttered "Sorry." Then she cleared her throat as she looked up and asked "Er, so what are you guys doing here?" and then winced as she realized that she really had no sense of subtlety after all. Was she really this bad usually, or is it the after effects of being in Kushina's body with her brash and unpredictable chakra?

So lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized when the six of them tensed up.

Lady Koharu's voice snapped her out of her trance "Two Months ago, On the night of October Tenth when the Nine Tails attacked the Village, you were the one who sealed up the Nine Tails in two separate people, is that correct?"

"It is." She answered truthfully.

"The Sealing method you used was unlike any other we've seen before." Lord Homura asked sternly "Where did you learn that kind of Sealing Method?"

She was sure almost all of them were digging holes in her head with their glares. She'd have to tread carefully now. She had to bullshit her way out of this. Though If she was caught lying, it won't end well for her. Fortunately, she was a very convincing liar - _er-_ well sometimes. "Why?' She answered, looking quite clueless and innocent, "I had learned it in Whirlpool Village along with the Clan's uzumaki Sealing Arts."

Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his brow and asked "Then why haven't we heard of it before? And also why didn't you use it before, or taught it to Minato when you were teaching him Uzumaki Sealing Arts?"

_Busted!_

She tried to look nonchalant, but on inside she was panicking. _Ugh!_ She's one step away from being thrown in jail, if they keep up dissecting her lies like that! _Old bastards, why can't they mind their own business?!_ She tilted her head and answered truthfully "Because not many people can do that."

"what do you mean?" Minato asked curiously. Among this little band of misfits, only Minato seems eager to learn about another type of Sealing Arts. And maybe Master Jiraiya too. The others were just here to make her life hell, she was sure of it.

She smiled softly and answered "It is because this Type of sealing does not require Chakra at all, but something entirely different."

"Something else? What is it?" Jiraiya asked eagerly.

 _"Magic."_ She said in english, and saw the others giving her a blank look. She laughed and said "It is called as 'Mahou' in your language. It is just another form of energy, just like chakra, though it has only spiritual aspect, not physical and spiritual both like that of chakra.""

Their jaw hit the floor –well, at least Jiraiya and Minato's did. The others were too composed to do so, but she could definitely see their eyes widening.

"Mahou? You mean you can use it?!" Lady Koharu asked sharply.

"I do." She admitted.

"Is it like a Bloodline Limit (Kekkei Genkai) ?" Lord Danzo asked, there was a hint of curiosity in his voice. She saw Minato looking at him suspiciously with the corner of his eyes, but she shrugged it off.

"Kind of." She said with a shrug. "I won't possibly know, since I can't use it for my every purpose since chakra and _magic_ don't work together usually." _And when they do work together, the results are miraculous, though the price is quite high and destructive._ But they don't need to know that now, do they?

"Can anyone use Mahou? Is it genetic?" Danzo asked. It seemed as if he was concluding something.

"No, it occurs in only selected individuals. It is sometimes genetic, though there is also possibility that it can skip once or twice in a generation because of inbreeding." She answered, noticing the strange gleam in Danzo's eyes. She had to give it to the old man that he had a really good emotionless mask, but if studying under Snape for six years had taught her anything, then it was to read someone's expressions –especially when said person had the emotional capability of a teaspoon, just like Snape was. _Or as he pretended to be._

_So, pray tell, Why does Danzo look like a kid on Christmas after hearing that?_

"Anyways," she changed the topic getting wary of the look that rested on Danzo's emotionless face. "the Sealing type I used were the Ancient runes, an Art of Sealing that requires only _magic_ to use it."

"the seal." Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "What kind of seal did you use to seal up the nine tails inside Minato and Naruto."

"It wasn't a seal, it was a rune." She muttered under her breath. "And the same one Minato was trying to use. The one where the death god binds a soul into a vessel."

Minato took a sharp breath. "the Death Reaper Seal."

"Not quite." She explained. "I don't know which Rune the Shinigami used on Minato, but What I used on Naruto is called ' _the Death Binding Rune_.' It binds the soul of any living being to a vessel by the power of the Death God. This Rune is quite powerful and is quite durable, however like every seal or Rune, it will also weaken by time -which will more likely be around thirteen years or so- and hence I'd have to strengthen it once again."

"Are you sure that the seal is durable? How can we be sure that the Demon fox wouldn't escape from the seal and go on a rampage once again." Lord Homura asked in a condescend tone.

She resisted the urge to punch that man. She now understood why Kushina had never liked them. These old coots really get on her nerves, not to forget the fact that they don't really seem to trust her Sealing skills. _Bastards._

She took a deep breath to calm down her temper and said "The Shinigami himself did one of the Runes. I don't believe you should insult the Death god's powers like that. He may not like it."

Minato had a feeling she spoke from experience, but that's ridiculous. _Right?_

She pulled off the blankets over baby Naruto's stomach, and channeled some magic into it. The six Ninjas stared intently as a rune appeared over his stomach. The rune consisted of a triangle with a circle inside it and a line that bisected the triangle and the circle into two. There were eight spirals around the rune.

Minato and Jiraiya walked curiously towards her, so as they could see the rune more closely. Even the four elders stepped closer to her in order to inspect the seal.

"This is what I used to seal up the nine tails inside Naruto. This Rune is called _'the Death Binding Rune_ '." She explained the rune to them. "This mark here in the middle-" she pointed to the mark of the deathly Hallows, "is the Mark of the Shinigami himself. The line here represents the Shinigami's dagger," _Or you could also say the Elder wand_. "The circle here represents the Shinigami's beaded necklace," _or in other words, the Resurrection Stone_ , "And the triangle here represents the Shinigami's Cloak." _Or as she knows it as The Cloak of Invisibility_. She looked up at Minato and Jiraiya who were listening intently, as well as the other four Elders. She looked each of them in the eyes and said "Together they make _the Deathly hallows_ or as you'd call it the Mark of the Shinigami."

_Together, they make one Master of Death._

She covered Naruto once again with the blanket as she continued "So, you see, you don't have to worry at all. The Shinigami himself is guarding this seal. There's no way the fox will escape from it, at least not till the next thirteen years."

"And what about Minato's seal?" Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in concern. She had to admit, among the four advisors, she liked Hiruzen the best. Maybe that's because he had been the only one to genuinely welcome Kushina in Konoha when Kushina had arrived in the Hidden leaf for the first time. He had been a good Hokage, even though he may have regretted some of his decisions.

She frowned and said "I don't know about it since I haven't seen it once."

Here." Minato said as he pulled up his Jonin vest and the undershirt beneath it, revealing his smooth skin. She tried her best not to blush as indecent thoughts flew through her mind. She held out her hand and held her fingers over Minato's stomach with a feathery touch, and Minato almost crumbled with want. The others averted their eyes, feeling they were prying in a private moment.

She let magic seep through her fingers and into Minato's body, and the rune appeared. As soon as she saw it, she hissed angrily.

Everyone was startled when they heard Kushina hiss angrily. They snapped their head towards her, only to find her gritting her teeth and glaring at the seal on Minato's stomach and muttering profanities under her breath in that other language.

 _"That bastard!"_ She hissed under her breath in english. " _Really Death, how could you do something so stupid?!"_

To Minato, the seal almost looked same as the one Naruto had, so why was Kushina reacting so extremely?

Jiraiya asked worriedly "Is something wrong?" Well, he had all rights to b worried. What if something happened to Minato? "Is the seal unstable."

She looked up and saw the worried look in everyone's eyes, though for different reasons. Hiruzen and Jiraiya were worried about Minato, while she was sure that Danzo, Homura and Koharu were worried about the nine tails only, they were worried if the nine tails would get loose or something. And Minato, well, that man must be still worrying about what impact this would have on her and Naruto and the village.

"No," she blurted out and sighed, letting her shoulders sag. "Quite the opposite, actually. The seal is quite stable, even though the Shinigami used an odd number of barriers. If I remember correctly, than this Rune will never weaken even a little bit, and hence there is negligible chance for the fox to escape out.

"So? Isn't that a good thing?" Lady Koharu asked impatiently.

Lord Hiruzen furrowed his brow "What's the problem?"

She pointed at the three swirls around each corner of the triangle of _the Deathly Hallows_ and said "You can see these swirls, right? They are barriers used to contain anything. The lesser the barriers are, the stronger the Rune is. Naruto's Rune had eight swirls, which means that the barriers may be strong to keep the nine tails sealed up, but they will also let a little bit of it's chakra to seep out for Naruto to use so that he could adapt to the nine tails chakra, and when the time comes to strengthen the seal, the risks of the nine tails chakra overloading Naruto and controlling his body are very low. However," She pointed at Minato's three pointed Rune and said "The Rune that the Shinigami has casted himself has a three point barrier, hence it is much, much stronger than Naruto's, and would not weaken even after sometime. It is a good thing, sure but the problem is that the Rune has blocked the nine tails chakra completely. Meaning that if the seal is broken anytime during his life – _which is highly unlikely_ , there are high chances that he will die and the fox would go on another rampage. Also, since this Rune creates up very, very strong barriers, they shun out the nine tails chakra from Minato's chakra such that a pocket dimension in created inside the seal where the nine tails is trapped. The part of nine tails that is trapped there is lost forever, since even though Minato dies one day, the pocket dimension will remain forever and ever, and hence that part of nine tails will never be able to merge with it's other part."

She pulled back her hand, breaking contact with Minato's skin and the rune disappeared. The Elders immediately started discussing something, but she paid no mind to it. She stared up at her hands as thoughts clouded her mind.

 _What had she done_? Not only did she split the poor fox's soul into two parts, she had also doomed one of the souls into an eternity of loneliness. Was destroying Kushina's life not enough that she had to succumb another soul into the realms of despair and loneliness for eternity?

A small part of her mind whispered that it was not her fault. That it was all Death's fault. The bastard was the one who always acted without even thinking.

But a large part of her kept screaming at her for destroying other's life. How was she not the one to be blamed? After all, wasn't she Death's Mistress? Whatever wrong he does would always be somehow her fault.

_She was really a monster, wasn't she?_

A warm hand was placed on her shoulder, and she looked up into Minato's _blueblueblueblueblueblue_ eyes that sparkled with concern. "Kushina? Are you alright?"

"No." she answered, her voice sounding broken even to her own ears. _After all, how could she be alright when she knew that she had destroyed two lives?_

She let her head fall in her hands as she choked out a sob, all the while ignoring the argument that took place in the room regarding Naruto's future as a Jinchurrikki, since Minato was a lost cause.

She should've sealed up the nine tails herself. She shouldn't have relied on Death. If she hadn't, then may be one less soul would've been destroyed by her, but no. Not only did she snatched up Kushina's life, but she also split a soul of a fox and shoved one of it into darkest pits of loneliness.

_Oh Merlin, what had she done?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: Hey, I tried my best okay. Don't throw rotten eggs and tomatoes at me if you didn't like this chapter, I swear I'll do my best next time!
> 
> Alright now, time for ReviewQuestion!
> 
> (EDITED)#ReviewQuestion- If you were ever given a chance to study under any one of the three Sannin, which one would you chose?
> 
> I'd choose Tsunade, because eh, then i'd be able to heal others, and you can't forget the Monster strength, Dattebayo!
> 
> Oh, and before I forget, PLEASE REVIEW!


	5. A Promise To Keep.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikoto suspects some leak in the Council and warms Lillian/Kushina for her safety. The same night some assassins attack her and Naruto, leading to some drastic measures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I really hope you like this chapter. I had been planning this since, well, the start of this story. I know it's not perfect, but hey! I tried my best!
> 
> P.S. I'd like you to be patient. After reading this chapter I know you'll have many doubts regarding this story, but trust me. I know what I'm doing.
> 
> SUMMARY: Me? Kushina? What kind of sick joke is that?! Isn't my name supposed to be Lillian Potter, not Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze? AU/ MOD! Harry/Fem!Harry: in which Death decided to swap the soul of his dying Mistress with Kushina's, which broke the Universe. Not a crack fic.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Do i really have to do this? *Sighs* Fine! i don't own either Naruto OR Harry Potter. happy now?
> 
> WARNING: Language, plot holes, character deaths, sexual innuendos, Violence, mention of torture, and yeah Blood.

* * *

"Mikoto! You're a lifesaver, _dattebane_!" She moaned as she stirred the broth and slurped the Ramen from the bowl in a matter of five seconds. _No wonder Kushina was so addicted to this. Ichiraku Ramen could even give Molly's famous poptarts a run for their money!_ "If it hadn't been for you, those ANBU would've caught me and dragged me back to the hospital!" She ignored the fact that she was sitting in barely concealing hospital gown, and that it got stained in her process of beating Kushina's last record of eating ramen in less time.

Mikoto looked like she was debating to act horrified at her table manners – _or their lack thereof_ \- or roll her eyes in exasperation at her comment. She finally settled on the latter as she patted little Sasuke as he stirred in her arms, and glanced sideways and noted with a smile that her five year old son Itachi was eating ramen in a much more poised way than her best friend Kushina. She turned to her _best-friend-since-academy_ and asked with a little bit of concern evident from her tone "Are you sure you should be sneaking out of the hospital now? You haven't healed yet, and also you can't forget the fact that the last time you sneaked out – _which had been just a week ago by the way_ \- Lady Tsunade _literally_ dragged you back to the Hospital?"

She waved off her hand in a dismissive way and continued inhaling – _er, I mean, eating_ \- her seventh bowl of Ramen and said "That had been a week ago, and besides they should've expected this. I've been in that damn hospital for about three months! How much time do they think I need to recover, _dattebane_? My injuries have mostly healed, it's just my chakra network that's still in frenzy, but I guess it'll take a long time to recover. I swear Minato's extending my hospital visit on purpose. "She muttered under her breath something like "Damn overprotective husband!" She then turned towards Itachi and exclaimed "Oh my little Itachi-chan, you haven't eaten anything. Old man, Another bowl of salt ramen for my little Godson!" She then ruffled his hair fondly, to which the five year old just gave her a famous _Uchiha-deadpan-stare_ , which looked so cute on him that it made her squeal.

"Coming right up!" Teuchi, the owner of the Ichiraku Ramen Stand beamed as he prepared another batch of ramen.

"No, it's alright sir, I don't need another serving." The chubby five year old said politely, without any emotion on his face, but his squeaky voice made his tough guy exterior shatter into pieces.

Lillian chuckled and once again ruffled his hair and cooed out "of course you do!" This time, Itachi just ignored her and let his crazy godmother mess up his hair.

Mikoto wanted to ask Kushina about something that has been bugging her for quite some time, but instead she chickened out in the end and asked something else "How's Naruto?"

Her purple eyes lit up, and the emerald flecks in them were more visible now as she said "Oh, he's wonderful! The little guy peed on Minato's Hokage cloak today when he was playing with Naruto. Oh, the look on Minato's face was priceless when Naruto had started wailing after that." Lillian cracked up when she remembered how Minato had almost had a panic attack when Naruto subjected him to his ear piercing wails. Even remembering that now made her crack up in laughter

Mikoto's lips twitched upwards at the mental image of the village's most fearsome Shinobi panicking at the sight of his crying son. She shook her head, wishing for the image to clear away from her mind as she asked "So, Naruto is with Minat- _er_ \- Lord Hokage now?"

Lillian shot her a look at her slip, and wondered why would she slip up like that? _Is it because Minato was the Hokage and speaking about him in any other endearment other than his title was frowned upon in Uchiha clan, or was Mikoto trying to tell her something subtly?_ She shrugged off this thought, knowing that thinking had never been her strong point anyways. Thinking was what Hermione did the best. She was the type of person to barge in first and ask questions later. She had never been rational anyways, and neither had Kushina, judging from her memories. She shrugged and answered "Nah, Minato immediately fled after handing me Naruto when Naruto started crying. Anyways, Guy had been there with Naruto when I sneaked out of the hospital."

Mikoto almost spat out a little piece of vegetable she had been chewing. "Guy? As in Might Guy? You left your son with him?" She asked with a horrified look on her face.

She frowned and gave her a look "I know Guy is quite an oddball and is sometimes quite …. _Extreme_ , but I'm sure he can babysit Naruto for a while. I'd have dumped Naruto on Kakashi, but the boy had gone out on a mission, and Genma is a part of Hokage's Guard hence I can't ask him to look after Naruto even though I've no doubt that Minato won't mind, and I really don't want Ebisu around my son, reading that perverted book of his." She shuddered as she remembered how much engrossed Ebisu was in his book nowadays.

Mikoto shook her head in exasperation. Really, only Kushina would think it'd be wise enough to let _Guy_ babysit her child. _It was so like her._

A thought crossed her mind, and Mikoto opened her mouth to ask it, but then hesitated again and stopped herself before she could say anything. However Lillian saw her struggling to tell her something, which made her frown.

"Okay, spill." She said as she slammed the now empty ramen bowl on the stand –making little Sasuke wake up start wailing. She smiled sheepishly and Mikoto shot her a glare and cooed at the six months old Sasuke to go back to sleep. Her eyes softened when she saw Mikoto lulling Sasuke to sleep. Would Kushina have looked this much content and happy if she had had a chance to hold her son like that and lull him to sleep? Guilt clawed inside her, and she buried such thoughts deep inside the depth of her mind. _Now was not the time to have a guilt-trip._ She had already had enough guilt-trips to last her a lifetime.

When Mikoto finally managed to lull Sasuke to sleep, Lillian immediately cast a silencing charm around her and Mikoto and baby Sasuke – _since it wasn't like Sasuke would tell anyone about what they had talked here. He was just a baby!_ She glanced at Itachi, who was eating his second bowl of Ramen slowly, and unenthusiastically.

Mikoto stiffened when she felt a strange coolness settle around her, and turned to Kushina when she said "I casted a Privacy Jutsu around us, you can speak without the fear of being heard now."

Mikoto quirked an eyebrow upwards "I thought you said you're not allowed to use chakra sometimes since your chakra network is still not healed."

"Don't change the subject." She pinned the Uchiha Matriach with a look, and said in an authorative voice that usually meant business. "Now, talk."

The black haired woman bit her lip and asked "Is it true?"

"What is?" She furrowed her brow.

"That you were attacked, the night when Naruto was born?" The Uchiha woman looked up, her black eyes clashing with her purple ones "That the masked man who attacked you was the one who was controlling the nine tails?"

Memories of the night of October tenth flashed in her mind, Kushina's last memories, before her soul had been exchanged with hers.

_Naruto crying- the masked man threatening to kill Naruto-painpainpainpain- the Jinchirikki seal broken- the nine tailed fox roaring, it's red eyes having three commas of the sharingan- the nine tails rampaging in the Hidden Leaf-Uzumaki Chakra chains Barrier- The Death god hovering behind Minato- exploding painpainpainpainpain – the coolness of the Shinigami's gaze as her soul was forced out of her body and-_

"Kushina? Are you alright?" Mikoto asked in concern when she saw Kushina turned an unhealthy white, and that she was taking deep breaths to stop herself from having a panic attack.

_No, she was not alright._ She really didn't want to relive the moments of Kushina's life when the woman lost her life because of her, and she really didn't want to tell Mikoto anything about it considering that this was a forbidden knowledge, one that shouldn't be known to general public. But Mikoto was Kushina's best friend, and best friends tell each other everything. She missed her best friends – Hermione and Ron, but since they aren't here, Mikoto would have to do. After all, wasn't she Kushina's best friend too?

She sucked in a deep breath, and nodded , ignoring the way her hands trembled as she hugged herself and bit her lip. "Yes," her voice quivered, and she took another deep breath and said forcibly "Yes. Someone attacked us that night. It was the masked man. H-He extracted the nine tails from me and then controlled him to play havoc on the Hidden Leaf." She shook her head and turned Mikoto and asked "How do you know about this? About the masked man?"

"Minato- _er_ , Lord Hokage had told the Council during a private meeting and asked everyone to stay alert and find out any information about the masked man." Mikoto hesitated, but then asked "Did he- Did he have a sharingan?"

She raked her tongue over her dry lips, and mumbled a "Yes." Which made the black haired woman take a sharp breath.

"I-" Mikoto honestly didn't know what to say. An Uchiha had attacked the Hidden Leaf by controlling the nine tails – _an Uchiha who most likely had the Mangekyo Sharingan_ \- and had almost killed her best friend and her new born child. No wonder the Hokage and the Council had been paranoid and had stationed ANBU guards around their compound to keep an eye on them. "I-I'm sorry." She stuttered. "I-"

Lilliane squeezed her arm in support, knowing how much hard it'd be for her to realize that it had been one of her clan members who had threatened the village. She must've felt betrayed, and Lillian knew very well how much betrayal stung.

"How did you do it?" Mikoto asked in a small voice, as she peeked at her from the corner of her eyes.

"How did I do what?" She asked as she tilted her head, letting a treacherous red curl fall over her left eye.

"There had been rumours around that you were the one who defeated the nine tails- everyone knows it! And even if I ignore the gossips since they're just petty rumours, I can't question the Hokage's word, as he had personally accounted in the meeting what had really happened that night. He told everyone how you somehow defeated the nine tails with the Shinigami on your side, and sealed it up, and how you almost gave your life to protect your family, and the village. Didn't you feel afraid? Weren't you terrified of the demon that could kill you with a flick of his claws? From where did you find the courage to fight that beast your world was falling apart?"

She looked down and answered in a quiet tone. "I'm not brave, Mikoto. Far from it, actually. I didn't do anything for the sake of the village, I did it for _Naruto_. Yes, I was terrified of the nine tailed fox who could've crushed me with a single paw, and yes, I was afraid to stand up against such a powerful being, because well, what kind of idiot would want to stand up to a magnificent being such as him? It's suicidal!" She then looked up at Mikoto with such a fierceness in her eyes, that it made the other woman stare at her in awe "Yes, I was afraid of the great nine tailed fox, and yes, I'd rather run away than face such a being again, but if anything threatens my son's life, I won't stand idle. I'd stand before the enemy before he could reach my wonderful child, even if it happens to the great nine tailed fox. I won't let anyone harm my family. I'd do anything to protect my loved ones. _Anything._ "

The Uchiha Matriach's face broke out in a serene smile as she hugged Lillian from sideways and said "Don't ever change, Kushina. Stay the same, no matter what happens."

Lillian giggled and said warmly "Of course." She pushed the ramen bowl further onto the counter, and smiled at Teuchi as he picked up her bowl as well as Itachi and Mikoto's, and then walked back into the kitchen to dump it into the sink. "So," She asked "There's something else you're not telling me. Isn't it?"

Mikoto sighed and said ruefully "You know me too well."

She scoffed and said "Of course I do."

Mikoto shook her head fondly and said with a deep breath "I don't know how or where, but there is a leak somewhere in Konoha. The rumours are that 'you've defeated the nine tails, and are still alive to tell the tale' has been spread all over the five great Nations. There have been some tensions around the other villages, and there are chances that there will be assassination or kidnapping attempts on you, and maybe your family." She gave her a stern look and said "I've already informed the Hokage, but still, it won't harm you to stay alert."

It's no surprise that Mikoto has managed to dug out such information, considering the fact that she is an Infilteration, Sabotage and Information Gathering Specialist, and was almost as good as Master Jiraiya, even though she has retired after Itachi's birth.

Lillian process on what she had just told her. So, there is someone in Konoha who's selling out their secrets. And not only that, but there are chances that someone might try to kill her or Naruto, or Minato – _though he can handle it pretty well, besides attacking Minato would be like suicide. Who'd be stupid enough to attack the Hokage like that?_ But the point was that she had somehow painted a target on her back.

_Fan-bloody-tastic._

Lillian groaned as she slammed her head down on the counter and muttered "I'm too young to deal with all this crap."

Mikoto slapped her arm and said sternly "Language!" As she pointedly glanced at baby Sasuke sleeping in her arms.

Lillian rubbed her arm and scowled at Mikoto who just rolled her eyes at her antics. "So," Lillian asked "Do you have any idea who might be leaking secret information to other nations?"

The black haired woman narrowed her eyes and said "I'm working on it, though I may have an idea."

"Who is it then?" She asked, curiously.

Mikoto shook her head and said "I will tell you when the time comes."

She pouted and said "Aw…. Mikoto, you're no fun, at all!"

Mikoto Uchiha once again rolled her eyes and ignored her best friend. Smiling, Lillian released the Silencing charm around them and turned to Itachi, who had now finished his ramen and was waiting patiently for his mother and his godmother to finish talking although he couldn't hear a word of what they had been saying.

Lillian pulled his cheeks, making the little boy's eyes widen slightly, and she said in a teasing voice "So, how had my dear little Itachi-chan had been doing?"

Itachi somehow pried her hands away from his cheeks, and rubbed his abused cheeks, and gave his Godmother an Uchiha worthy glare – _which made her squeal even more loudly_ \- and said in a polite voice "I'm fine, Aunt Kushina."

"Aw…. You're so cute Itachi-chan!" Lillian squealed once again, and glomped the five year old who sent his mother a pleading look as his mother looked on in amusement and decided not to help him.

Mikoto knew that Itachi was a prodigy, and hence Fugaku expected a lot from his son. She was afraid that Itachi won't lose himself under the weight of all these responsibilities. She could see how he has been turning cold nowadays. Mikoto had tried to reach out to her some, but he has been distant these days. It was as if he was afraid to attach himself to her. But Kushina had no such qualms. Even if Itachi pushes her away, she'd slam back with double force, and would find a way to worm into his heart.

As long as she had Kushina, her son won't go down on the path of Loneliness and hatred that usually leads to destruction.

"KUSHINA!" A screech startled the three of them, and even Sasuke woke from his slumber and started sniffing and sobbing.

Lillian paled as she recognized the voice as that of Tsunade's. "Shit!" she cursed under her breath, and ignored Mikoto as the other woman chided her for her vulgar language around kids. She immediately jumped off her chair and tapped the counter and told Teuchi "Thanks for the delicious ramen, Teuchi. Would you please put the bill on Minato's tab? Thanks!" Saying this, she ran out of the stand, before Tsunade could catch her.

A few minutes later -

"KUSHINA! GOTCHA!"

"Hey Tsunade-nee chan! Stop dragging me damn it! I can walk! Hey! _Hey! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME YOU OLD HAG!"_

A punch, and then…..

"OW! THAT HURTS!"

* * *

If it hadn't been for Naruto, Lillian would've been dead that night.

She had been distracted by her thoughts as she looked out of the window, gazing at the twinkling stars of the night as she pondered over what Mikoto had told her during her little sneak-out. So, apparently, there is a leak somewhere in the village. And by the way she seemed tensed, and the not so obvious hints made her question if the leak was possibly someone at a higher rank? So now the question is, how much high ranked is the traitor who is selling village secrets? Was it a Jonin? Some paperwork Ninja from one of the departments? Or worse- someone from the council?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. It won't do good for her to think too much about all this, maybe she should leave this to Minato and other capable shinobi who'd find out better conclusions than her, knowing she really isn't that smart to come up with possible leaks and how to fix them.

Besides, instead of worrying about _traitors-who-can't-keep-their-mouth-shut_ , she should think about the fact that there might be attempts on her life, if what Mikoto said had been true anyways. She can understand what the Uchiha Matriach had been trying to say. According to the rumours, Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage's wife, also known as the _Red Hot Habanero_ managed to defeat the strongest of bijju, and not only that, she is even alive to tell the tale. If that doesn't make them wary of her skills, then she doesn't know what will. Knowing someone so powerful to almost defeat the bijju is still alive, who can guarantee that she won't attack them at the command of her Kage, which would _obviously_ turn into a massacre?

But _of course_ she won't do such a thing. She wasn't _that_ stupid. And besides, rumours are always exaggerated. She didn't exactly defeat the nine tails, she had just sealed him up, and almost died in the process. Yes, she was alive, but at the cost of her Ninja career. It's most likely that she won't able to be a ninja now, since her chakra network has taken some permanent damages, and if she tried to use any high ranked Jutsus, she'd most like suffer instant backlashes. That means no playing Ninja for her. _Oh Joy._

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the three year old Naruto giggle at something. _Well, that's strange_. Hasn't the boy slept an hour ago after she had fed him?

"Naruto, why are you-?" She shook her head and turned her head towards Naruto's crib that lied next to her bed, when her cheek grazed a sharp blade that drew out blood, and her eyes met up with the glinting sharp end of blade.

"Well, well, well, if this isn't the Red Hot Habanero." The assassin that held the blade so close to her neck said with a smirk on his face. By his attire and the rock symbol on his headband, she recognized him as an Iwa (Rock) Ninja.

For a moment, she panicked as her breathing turned ragged, and she could feel the blood pounding in her ears. _Oh Merlin, she has been so stupid._ Hadn't Mikoto alerted her just this afternoon that someone was after her life? Why hadn't she been careful?! How much of an idiot she was to let her guards down even if her room has been guarded by ANBU.

_Wait, the ANBU guards!_ What happened to them? They would've come rushing in at the slightest disturbance, since they had always came rushing in whenever she made even a single twitch of her fingers. _So why….?_

_Unless, of course they've been killed beforehand._

Dread coiled in the pit of her stomach as her face turned ashen pale. Her mind was in an overdrive, and she was she'd have a panic attack. Oh god, she'd die today. Not only would they kill her, but Naruto too-

_Wait, Naruto! He's in danger!_ She can't just mop around when her son is in danger!

Suddenly her mind cleared up, and she processed her thoughts in a manner of cold detachment that surprised her. A scan around the room with her chakra told her that there were five Iwa Nins in the room, four surrounding her and one possibly standing near Naruto's crib. From their chakra and the way they stood tensed around her, she guessed all of them must be ANBU to Jonin levels. _Well, fuck. Isn't that a little overkill?_

The chances of her winning against them in a fight are least to nil. Her chakra system was damaged, and her Taijutsu may be good, but she can't take out the five of them with only Taijutsu. Genjutsu was out of option, since Kushina sucks at Genjiutsu. Her magic, however, may give her a chance to escape. But that's more like a last resort since using magic would mostly likely end up with her mixing up her chakra and magic, which would definitely _not_ end well on her behalf.

Well, she supposed she could flare up her chakra in a distress signal and alert the ANBU_

"Don't even think about flaring your chakra, if you value your spawn's life." One of the assassin's spat as he drifted the Kunai closer to Naruto, who was staring at the glinting metal in awe and trying to reach out at it, thinking it's a toy.

_…..Well, there goes that opportunity._

"Stay away from my son." Lillian hissed angrily as her red hair split into nine parts and was levitating with the Killing Intent she radiating, making Naruto start sniffing at the sheer intensity of her chakra.

The Iwa Nin holding the blade against her neck gripped her red hair tightly, making her hiss in pain as her scalp hurt, making the Ninja give her a predatory grin. "Can't do," He said, enjoying her pain "you see, we've been specifically ordered to kill you and your child."

The only Kunoichi among the group of five gave a mocking sigh and said "Now be a good girl and let us kill you swiftly and silently."

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, and looked straight up defiantly, ignoring the pain in her scalp as the Iwa nin pulled her hair, again. She won't let them have pleasure of seeing her in pain. She has Kushina's pride to keep, after all!

She needed to find a way to get to Naruto and then run to safety. Taking on five of high ranked Iwa Ninjas was _suicide_. Not only were they trying to kill her, but Naruto too. She'd have to get Naruto to safety, and somehow send a message to Minato to send a back-up. But where would she hide until then?

The adjoining bathroom, of course!

"Such a good girl she is." The Iwa Kunoichi said in a mocking tone.

"It's too boring, you know." Another assassin said with an eye roll. "I expected more of a fight from the _Red Hot Habanero_ who defeated the strongest of the bijju."

"I highly doubt those rumours were true though." The one standing over Naruto's crib said with a snort, inching his Kunai closer to the entranced baby who was still trying to grab the kunai. "She looks like she's going to pee in her pants- _Oh wait,_ she isn't even wearing pants. Ah, nevermind." He said, eying her less than decent hospital gown.

His four other companions laughed at his joke, while she clenched her fists in barely suppressible anger. _She really wanted to rip these Nins apart for threatening her son_. She unclenched her fists and subtly made a single-handed ram seal for Kushina's trademark Jutsu – _though she knew it'd have major repercussions on her chakra network._

"Well, we've delayed enough now. Before the ANBU gets alerted, let's finish the job." The fifth one said in a cold and authorative tone, and she guessed he must be their Leader for this mission.

The assassin holding the sword said with an eye roll "Party pooper." But he obliged with his leader. He Inched his sword near her at an attacking angle, but suddenly something slammed him away from her.

"EAT THIS!" The Kushina-clone hollered as she punched the assassin who was going to stab her boss, making the Iwa Nin crash into a wall. The four Iwa Ninjas were startled as four more Shadow clones popped into existence and immediately started attacking them.

Lillian flung over the bed, avoiding a Kunai in her direction as saw that the Ninja threatening Naruto had already dispelled her clone and was now going to attack Naruto.

She knew it was going to hurt like a bitch and she wasn't even sure it'll work with any living being but…. _"Accio Naruto!"_ She chanted as a red beam flew out of her hand and summoned Naruto towards him. She caught Naruto in her arms – _the right one had severe burns, thanks to using chakra and magic at the same time_ , and ran towards the adjoining bathroom, avoiding the flying projectiles every now and then.

"Earth style, Mud Wall!" A wall of earth shot up before her, blocking her way to the bathroom. She quickly made hand signs without thinking, and yelled-

"Fire Style! Grand fireball Jutsu!"She sat out large ball of fire which destroyed the Earth wall, and she quickly ran towards the bathroom, but before she could reach it, someone grabbed her left shoulder from behind, dislocating it in an instant, making her cry out in pain and almost drop Naruto. She clutched Naruto tighter with her other hand, and her heart clenched when Naruto cried, however she didn't have time to tend the baby. She turned on the spot and channeled chakra into her leg as she kicked the Iwa shinobi away, who she realized was the leader. The leader of the little band of assassins got thrown away from her, but not before slamming something over her arm, which she recognized as some sort of chakra-restraining seal.

_Damn it! Sneaky bastard!_

Ignoring the chakra restraining seal for now, she ran towards the bathroom, turned the knob and stepped inside. She all but slammed it and locked it from inside. She took deep breaths, realizing that she had been holding it for quite a while as she slumped against the door and cradled a wailing Naruto in her burnt arm, as her left shoulder – _and to an extension her left arm_ \- were useless now since they were dislocated.

She could hear the fighting that was going on outside, and she knew she didn't have much time. Her clones won't be able to fight much longer, and soon they'd come for her. She'd have escaped through the bathroom window, if it had one. _But sadly, it didn't._ And also she can't flare her chakra, since that damn bastard managed to seal up all her chakra with a chakra restraining tag, not that it'd have done her any good since her chakra network was already burning inside her, as if she had fire running through her veins.

But at least she can do her magic freely now, without fearing for the repercussions of using both chakra and magic, since her chakra was blocked. And Thank Merlin, Hermione had been insistent enough for her to learn Wandless magic _! If she ever met the bushy haired girl again, she'd hug her to death that was for sure._

Taking a deep breath, not even looking at the toilet sink and the bathtub as she walked towards the wash basin, sat down next to it. She placed Naruto down on the floor, wiping his tears as the boy reached out his hands towards his mother, _motioning her to hold him up and make everything fine_. She gave him a watery smile, and cooed at the boy, trying to calm him down.

" _Ssh_ Naruto," She said to her baby boy between her pants, with sweat dripping down her forehead, "Y-You are a b-brave lit-tle boy, aren't y-you? M-Mommy will ma-make everything f-fine. T-Trust me." To her surprise, he did calm down after a while, staring at his mother with _deepdeepdeepdeepdeepblue_ eyes, as if he understood what she was saying.

"J-Just a mo-moment." She breathed heavily, as she said that, and placed her burnt arm over her dislocated shoulder. Ignoring the pain that shot through her burnt limb and her dislocated shoulder, and popped it back into it's place with a hiss of pain.

She sucked in air through her opened mouth as she contemplated what to do next. She was sure that her clones were not going to last more than two minutes now, it's a miracle they can hold those assassins for as long as they had, considering she didn't have much chakra to begin with and those Iwa Nins seemed like highly trained assassins. She can't fight them head on, her only hope was to alert Minato and the ANBU somehow so they can come and deal with this shit. Alerting them by flaring her chakra was out of option, since her chakra had been restrained by that stupid seal.

She could apparate out of this bathroom, but she knew for a fact that Apparition wouldn't be good for Naruto's health. He'd have severe backlash if she attempted a joint apparition. For the same reason, a portkey was out of option too.

_What is the fastest way to send a message, other than an owl?_

_A Patronus. Of course!_

She flinched as she got memories of a clone, who had been dispelled just now. Two clones down, three left, and apparently, they haven't managed to even put a scratch on any one of those assassins. They had only managed to distract them for a while now.

_Damn, she didn't have much time!_

Gathering Naruto in her arms securely, and smothering him with a kiss to calm the boy down before he start crying again, she held out her right hand – _which really didn't look good with the burned flesh and blisters over it_ \- and casted the Patronus charm-

_"Expecto Patronus!"_

A silvery mist wisped out of her right hand and took a form of a silver doe. At that very moment, she heard three loud POP!s going on outside, and got the memories of her three clones that had been dispelled now. _Well, shit!_ They'll be coming for her now.

She tightened her grip around Naruto and stared at the doe with wide eyes. "Go to Minato, and tell him that _'Minato, it's me! Kushina! I need help! Iwa Nins have attacked us! You need to come as soon as possible!'_ Now Go!"

The doe Patronus just tilted her head in confusion, and Lillian wanted to rip out her hair in frustration as she was hyper aware of everything.

Her deep, ragged breaths.

The silent footsteps of the five assassins inching towards the bathroom.

The _dripdripdrip_ of water as it dripped down from the tap of the wash basin.

Her lips quivered as she glared at the doe patronus who looked innocently at her "What are you looking at?! Go to Minato! Blonde hair? Blue eyes? Remember?" she said frantically as clutched Naruto tighter, almost in a painful grasp, making the little boy sniff.

The patronus seemed to understand something as it bounced around the bathroom, and disappeared in a silvery light.

Lillian drifted her gaze towards the bathroom door as she inched away from it. Her back touched the wall, and she bit her lip and clutched Naruto with her left hand and lifted her burned one up.

There was a moment of silence on the other side. And then-

_BOOM!_

The door exploded, and a few chunks of the door and the adjoining wall came flying towards them. She shielded Naruto from most of the flying debris by using her body as a meat shield, and winced as a particular heavy piece of chunk hit her back, cracking her ribs. She coughed up blood and tried her best to ignore her pain.

When the dust from the aftermath of the explosion settled somewhat, she turned her head a bit and winced when someone grabbed her hair and pulled, making her wince.

The one holding her growled and cursed at her "You _bitch_! You'll pay for that little stunt you pulled." She recognized the voice as that of the Leader.

The Leader slammed her head into the wall, making her skull crack a bit, and blood pouring from her head. She sucked breaths in through her mouth as she clutched Naruto to her chest, as the little boy started sobbing.

"We'll enjoy killing you by bits and pieces." The Leader of the assassins growled as he lifted her head up and all but threw her over the previous room.

Due to the force at which he threw her, Naruto slipped through her arms and got thrown away. She watched in horror as she saw in slow motion how the blankets covering Naruto unraveled a bit and that he was going to hurt if she landed painfully on the floor.

"Earth Style! Earth Spikes!"

She ignored the fact that the Iwa Kunoichi used a jutsu that made sharp spikes of rocks rise out from the place where she would most likely land as she concentrated her magic at Naruto and chanted-

_"Aresto Momentum!"_

Before Naruto could slam down on the floor and stain it with his blood, the momentum at which he was falling down decreased a lot, and he all but levitated down on the floor slowly.

Glad that Naruto was safe, she cried out in pain when her body slammed into the spiky floor, and the earth spikes dug into her back and pierce through her chest and legs. She was lucky one of the spikes didn't pierce through her heart. She coughed up blood and tears of pain welled up in her eyes but she refused them to fall down. _She won't give these assassins the pleasure to see her cry_. Besides she was sure her Patronus would've reached Minato by now, and remembering from Kushina's memories that Minato had once marked Kushina with his Hirashin seal. _He'd flash here any instant now, and Naruto will be fine._

"Well, well. Look at that." The Leader said in a condescend tone. "A mother trying to protect her son. How heart melting."

The four other assassins snickered.

"I'm surprised she is still alive after getting pierced by the spikes." The Kunoichi said, her voice praising her a bit, as she glanced at her bloodied body, pierced through by those earth spikes of her Jutsu.

"Boss, I think it'd be cruel of her to kill her before her son." One of the assassins piped in.

A cold feeling of dread settled in her stomach. _No, they can't possibly-!_

"Oh yes, you're right." The Leader said with a spark of mischief in his cold eyes "How chivalrous of you."

"No! Not Naruto!" She gasped out, her voice breaking from the pain and hoarseness, as she pleaded the cold hearted killers to leave her son alone, "Please!"

_Where was Minato? Why wasn't he here yet?!_

The five of them laughed at her expense. "Now so strong now, are you?" Another one of the assassins taunted at her as he walked towards her and kicked at her stomach, making her cough up blood and squeeze her eyes shut as she felt unbearable _painpainpainpainpain_. "We'll make you suffer before you die." He sneered at her, "We'll torture that kid in front of you, and then kill him slowly, and make you watch every single moment of it. And then we'll kill you slowly and painfully, and we'll enjoy you writhe in agony as you remember how we tortured your son before your death."

She squeezed her eyes shut, stopping the mental images before they assaulted her mind. Bile rose to her throat as images of how they'll torture Naruto slipped through her mind. She bit her lip to stop herself from retching out her dinner and wished from all her heart for Minato to arrive before anything happens. She had put her faith in Minato to come and protect his son, she didn't want to regret it.

_Minato, please don't let me regret for putting my faith on you to protect your family._

"Let's kill the brat first then. I am itching to stain my blade red." The Iwa Nin who had scratched her cheek with his blade said with a deranged grin.

The leader just sighed exasperatedly, but didn't said anything to stop his fellow Ninja as the Iwa Nin with the blade walked forward towards Naruto, bits and pieces of debris crunching under his shoes.

She summoned all her strength to help her sit up, but the fried up chakra network and unbearable pain from the rock piercings all around her body made it impossible for her to even move an inch without crying out in pain.

"Please! Leave him alone! Kill me in his stead!" She cried out to the assassins, wishing they'd just kill her already, and not torture her like this.

The Iwa Ninja holding the blade smirked at her and said in a mocking tone. "Too late." He held up his sword over Naruto's little figure, who was wailing out for his Mom to protect him from this _monster._

She felt helpless, useless even. What good are her powers if she can't even protect a baby who is like a son to her? Was this what her fate now? _Was she doomed to get those closed to her killed?_

How many lives are going to lose because of her? How many souls would have to be destroyed for her survival? How many sacrifices does she have to make for this wretched world? Is this what left for her? To get others killed for her own existence? Is this what her life is now?

A life that is going on borrowed time?

Is she really worth it? All of it?

Was it really worth swapping her soul with Kushina's? Is her life really worthy than Naruto's?

_Was she going to just lie helplessly as they kill Naruto?_

A warm voice rang around her mind, sounding like a whisper in the wind **_"Promise me that you'll take care of Minato and Naruto for me."_**

_Kushina!_

Her eyes shot open as she remembered Kushina's parting words to her. No, she _can't_ give up now. She had promised Kushina that she'd do anything in her power to protect Naruto and Minato, even though the latter is being an asshole and not taking his duty of being Naruto's father seriously. _She was never the one to break a promise, and she won't start now of all the times._

_She was the Mistress of Death, and she was not going to be outsmarted by these puny little assassins._

* * *

Kurama watched through his jailor's eyes as that puny little human held the blade in his hands that would soon stab into his jailor's heart and would kill him instantly. Even though Kurama didn't like his jailor at all – _who would want to be sealed up inside a baby for an eternity, after all? He sure as hell won't_ \- he didn't want to 'die'. The Rune that the Shinigami's Mistress had used to seal him up sure as hell won't let him wring that human's neck with his own paws, but it didn't mean he can't protect his jailor with his chakra cloak, which would definitely protect him from the physical assault.

As he pushed more of his chakra through the seal, he felt the familiar spike of power radiating somewhere near him. As his jailor was surrounded by his red chakra cloak, making the threatening Ninja stumble backwards before he could hit his jailor, the spike in power only rose up, and he looked through his jailor's eyes at the woman who stood with her cold green eyes and whipping red hair, who was radiating so much power that it made even his chakra cloak pale in comparison.

The woman, who no doubt was _the Shinigami's Mistress_ \- growled in fury, and a shiver ran down his spine as the woman glared.

However, he was glad that he was not the target of her glares. _Not this time, at least._

_Thank Kami for small mercies._

* * *

Her magic brimmed inside her in a raging inferno, surrounding her injuries and healing them in an instant. Her magic, fueled from her emotions, gave her the strength she needed as she clenched her fists in determination and lifted herself from the spiky floor, ignoring the stinging pain as her magic healed the wounds where the rocky spikes pierced through her body. So lost in her own thoughts, she didn't see a red chakra cloak surrounding Naruto as it swatted away the Iwa Ninja who held the blade away from the baby.

Before the others knew what was happening, they were knocked down on the ground by the sheer force of her magic.

The five assassins blanched as they saw her blazing emerald eyes contorted with cold fury that held no hints of violet in them. Her blood red hair blew around her as if it had it's own mind, and she looked like an avenging goddess with blood splattered all over her body, staining her Hospital gown.

She held out her right hand and summoned the _Elder Wand_ in her hands, and pointed it at the offending Iwa Ninjas in front of her.

"I will make you suffer through the C _ursed Flames from Hell_." She snarled at the five Iwa Ninjas, who cowered at the sheer amount of Killer Intent they were being subjected to. "You should've thought better than to mess up with my family."

Saying this she chanted " _Fiendfire!_ " And the cursed flames of Hell drifted out from her wand that were at her beck and call., burning the offending Iwa Ninjas alive, doing her bidding, incinerating the Assassins alive.

* * *

"Lord Hokage!" A Jonnin slammed into the Hokage's Office, whom he recognized as Kizashi Haruno.

"What is it?" Minato asked wearily s he ran his hand through his blonde hair. _Damn paperwork! It's already midnight by now, when will this blasted paperwork end?_

"The East Wing of the Hospital is on Fire!" Kizashi said frantically.

Minato almost had a heart attack. _Wasn't that the Wing where Kushina and Naruto were kept?_

"What are your orders, Lord Hoka-"

Before anyone could even blink, their Hokage disappeared in a Flash of Yellow, leaving the Jonin, and the four ANBU guards of the Hokage stunned.

* * *

Minato used his Flying Thunder God Technique with the help of Hirashin mark on Kushina and appeared in a Flash of Yellow in her Hospital room. The flames licked around the room, and Minato coughed as the smoke filled into his lungs. He ignored the heat of the Fire – _was Fire supposed to be this hot?_ \- as he looked around for his beloved wife and son, who were nowhere to be find. He spotted four corpses burned to the core, and a fifth one seemed alive though. He prayed to Gods, wishing that none of them be Kushina.

_And who were they and what were they doing here at this time of night?_

He walked forward, minding of the flames that seemed much, _much_ hotter than a normal fire's flames as he continued forward, wishing to see Kushina and Naruto safe. He sighed in relief when he spotted Kushina's red hair in the orange and yellow flickering flames, although his relief soon turned into horror.

Kushina sat in midst of the fire, the Flames licking around her, but not daring to touch her. It was almost like the flames were _caressing_ her.

She held Naruto in her hands, who was surrounded by a red chakra cloak that he was all too familiar with. It was the corrosive chakra of the nine tails that whipped around his son in nine streams of red chakra.

But what had horrified him the most was not the fact that his son was doused in red chakra of the nine tailed beast, or the fact that every inch of his wife's body was covered with blood. The fact that unnerved him were her eyes, which were cold and emotionless, and a cool shade of _green_ without any hint of her lovely purple in them.

" _Oh Kami….._ " He whispered as he inched towards his wife and his son warily.

Kushina looked up at him, her cold green eyes showed a flicker of anger and betrayal before turning into an emotionless jade. "Oh Minato," She purred dangerously "How nice of you to _finally_ join us."

Why did he have a feeling he had somehow betrayed her trust?

* * *

_**EXTRA:-** _

**Somewhere in the Hidden Mist…..**

"Don't you three have anything else to do then spy on me?" She asked in a bland tone as she handed a five year Old Chojuro a warm glass of chocolate Milk, which he hesitatingly took from her.

There was a SNAP! Sound as the three Chunnins she was so fond of bumped into one another in the dark, but didn't come out of the shadows.

She sighed softly and said warmly "Kisame, may be you can tell why are you spying on me?"

After a minute or two, a gangly teenager with walked out of the shadows, the fire from the fireplace illuminating his blue skin and his shark like teeth, making the blue haired toddler inch towards the serene woman, who was not at all affected by the teenager's appearance.

"We weren't spying, my Lady. We were merely observing you." Kisame said, and he could feel his two teammates face palm at his less tactful way of handling things. Honestly, with that thick brain of his, it had been a wonder ow he had ended up becoming a Chunnin.

"At the middle of the night?" She said as she quirked her lips upwards.

"Lord Mizukage's Orders." Kisame said stiffly.

"Honestly, Yagura worries too much about me." She said exasperatedly with a smile, though her blue eyes showed her worry about something. She shook her head and said wistfully "You know, you can observe me all you want with a cup of hot chocolate in this cold night, if it's alright with you? Zabuza? Mei?"

Curses shot from the dark shadows, and little Chojura glanced around warily as he took a sip from his glass of hot chocolate.

Kisame's other two teammates stumbled out of the shadows as they gave her a sheepish grin. Well, Mei did. Zabuza just glared at Kisame. "You're such an idiot." Zabuza sneered at Kisame, who just ignored the infamous Chunnin.

Mei, a beautiful girl with long brown hair and dark green eyes, said as she scratched the back of her head sheepishly "I'm sorry for the trouble we caused you, My Lady. We weren't meant to be caught."

"I'm sure of that." She admitted with a soft tone as she poured more hot chocolate into three cups and handed one to each of them. However, before they could even take a sip of it, a silvery mist seeped into the room through the window, and took a shape of a doe.

Sartled, the three chunnins lost the grip on the cups as they fell down on the floor and shattered into a million pieces. The three chunnins pulled out their weapons – _or well, in Zabuza and Kisame's case their executioner sword and Samehada respectively_ \- and stood in a protective stance around the noble woman and the blue haired orphan who was now cowering in fear and clutching the said noble woman in terror.

"Stand down!" She commanded them, startling the three chunnins, "I know this doe. It's a Patronus."

"A _what?_ " The three of them said in unison.

She ignored them as she stepped forward towards the doe, who opened his mouth and said in an unfamiliar voice-

_"Minato, it's me! Kushina! I need help! Iwa Nins have attacked us! You need to come as soon as possible!"_

She blinked as the Patronus repeated the message of it's owner, and then vanished into thin air. She frowned. She did not recognize the voice of the owner, and neither did she recognize the name 'Kushina' or 'Minato'. It seems like the Patronus has found the wrong recipient of this message.

However, the Patronus of a doe…. She only knew one person who had a doe as a Patronus, but hadn't she died three months ago? Or has the Ministry Of Magic lied to her?

But why would they do that? And didn't Ron and Neville confirm this news in their letter a week after her death?

So, why would a Patronus that is similar to Lillian Rose Potter's Patronus would find her – _of all the people_ \- if it was meant for someone else?

"Hm….." she said as she tapped her chin "This is interesting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: Hahaha~! I know I'm evil! A cliffhanger, of all the things! So, what do you think? Why didn't the Patronus find Minato? And who is this mysterious person? Any guesses?
> 
> Meh, while you think about that, answer this question of mine-
> 
> #ReviewQuestion- If you get to reborn in Naruto world, which kekkei Genkai /dojutsu/Whatever would you want to be born with?
> 
> I'd like to have a Byakugan, since I've always been interested in the idea of how chakra network is different from our other systems in body. I have read many fanfics and many authors have put around theories for it, but still, there are some doubts that I still have related to it. And anyways, I think it'd be cool to have an almost 360 degree vision, though I believe the Yamanaka Kekkei genkai to read/control minds is a second in my list. I had always enjoyed the idea of being a telepathic! I'd be then kickass like Charles Xavier from X-Men! *laughs creepily*
> 
> Er, sorry. I guess I got a little bit excited. Anyways, I think I deserve some well needed comments for this long ass chapter. So, REVIEW!


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